Meat eaters have animal welfare, health and budget concerns

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- One month after launching Beansday, a simple and healthy weekly habit that will spare animals' lives, Humane World for Animals, formerly called the Humane Society of the United States, is releasing a new survey conducted on their behalf by The Harris Poll*. The results highlight Americans' willingness to eat more beans and suggest that interest in reducing meat consumption may be driven by a convergence of animal welfare, health and financial concerns.

Poll highlights (infographic):

• Beans are already a staple in American diets, with 95% of Americans reporting that they eat beans.
• Black beans claim the title as America's favorite bean: Black beans come in first place at 46%, followed closely by pinto beans at 41%.
• Nearly three in five meat eaters (57%) say they would be willing to replace meat with beans at least once a week, while 62% are open to reducing their overall meat consumption.
• About two-thirds of meat eaters are concerned about the impact of their meat consumption on household finances/grocery costs (67%), personal health (64%), and animal welfare (64%), while nearly three in five say the same of impact on the environment and climate (58%).
• Meat eaters ages 18-34 are more likely than those age 55+ to say making food choices that are kinder to animals would motivate them to swap meat for beans at least once a week (27% vs. 19%).

Karla Dumas, vice president of farm animal protection at Humane World for Animals and a registered dietician nutritionist, said: "What stands out in these findings is that consumers are taking a broader view when making decisions about what they eat. They understand the impact of meat consumption almost equally on their budgets, their health and animals. It is encouraging that Americans are recognizing that animals matter and are willing to make dietary changes that reflect that. We launched Beansday to give people simple, practical ways to put those values into action. Swapping meat for beans just one day a week is a small step that makes a big impact for animals." 

Humane World for Animals launched Beansday with actor Kevin Bacon in June to encourage Americans to replace meat with beans every Wednesday. The campaign highlights the benefits of beans and that one small weekly habit that can create meaningful change for animals, our planet and our health. 

• Complete Harris poll
• Download photos and video of poll infographic and bean dishes
• Bean brief fact sheet
• Download photos and video of Kevin Bacon Beansday Public Service Announcement

Methodology

*This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Humane World for Animals from June 23-25, 2026, among 2,003 adults ages 18 and older, of whom 1,919 eat meat. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.7 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.

About Humane World for Animals

Together, we tackle the root causes of animal cruelty and suffering to create permanent change. With millions of supporters and work happening in over 50 countries, Humane World for Animals—formerly called the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International—addresses the most deeply entrenched forms of animal cruelty and suffering. As the leading voice in the animal protection space, we work to end the cruelest practices, care for animals in crisis and build a stronger animal protection movement. Driving toward the greatest global impact, we aim to achieve the vision behind our name: a more humane world.
humaneworld.org

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SOURCE Humane World for Animals.