If we consider a vegetarian consumer in a grocery store, we must remember that
minimizing costs might not always be an option. A vegetarian consumer might not be able to
purchase a cheaper good because it may contain animal products or by-products. Thus they are
forced to buy the more expensive product because of their dietary restrictions. This can be
applied to any type of dietary restriction including allergies, lactose-intolerance and the demands
of a kosher diet. These examples all include some type of restriction that is forced upon by either
health reasons or religious beliefs. However, a vegetarian is not obligated to restrict foods based
on such reasons. With the exception of having allergies against animal products, a vegetarian
lifestyle is otherwise a personal choice. A consumer is not born a vegetarian, like someone
possessing an allergy. There are underlying factors that determine the choice to convert to
vegetarianism.
As mentioned above, this paper is solely concerned with food expense and the effect of
different factors on this variable. We are not concerned with the reasons one might have to
convert to a vegetarian diet. Given that the literature is very limited, it should be noted that the
recent popular trends around vegetarianism merit further research. Aside from the various
reasons to convert, studying the expenses related to this diet seems to be an appropriate starting
point.