Photo by Tony PhiLLips - ICEL 2014 deny the hierarchy of man over beast. Peter Singer is one of the founders of « speciesism, » which advocates equality between all species. In February 2015, he acknowledged in an article in The Guardian that, « In the 1970s, to be a vegetarian was to be a crank. » Forty years later, the attitude towards vegetarianism has changed dramatically. As proof, The New York Times recently ran the headline « Vegan Goes Glam. » The same can’t be said of detractors of the palm oil used in Nutella, which is also an ecological crusade. « The no palm oil movement is very French and linked to the deforestation scandal in Indonesia uncovered by Greenpeace. Almost every other country now uses sustainable palm oil, » says Sophie de Reynal, the director of marketing at Nutrimarketing. « Activists represent only a small faction, » specifies Pascale Hébel. So why does one in every three French people want to reduce meat consumption in the next six months ? « The main reason is related to price rather than ecology, the ‘it’s better for the planet’motivation comes second, » she suggests. The same holds true for « no car » proponents, a real presence in major French cities. The fact that 60 percent of Parisians do not own a vehicle and that many young people don’t get their drivers’licenses does not necessarily imply an ethical choice. « These trends spread and last because they go beyond ecological considerations. The economic crisis gave rise to new values  : being fedup with overconsumption and a return to simplicity. » concludes Hébel. ADAPTING TO THE NEEDS OF THE "WITHOUTS" New marketing agencies are capitalizing on the expansion of « without » products  : restaurants offer special menus, bakeries make non-gluten bread, and the first meatless butcher in France in Paris’s 12th arrondissement offers burgers and bacon made entirely from vegetable proteins. California recently inaugurated a 100 percent vegan school, and France, under the impulse of UDI MP Yves Jégo, is considering making a vegetarian choice in school cafeterias mandatory. Eco-labels are increasingly being used by traditional supermarket brands. Alongside sugar-free iced tea and cookies, gluten free products are now a driving force sometimes displayed in their own sections. « According to estimates, this global market will reach 7 billion dollars by 2019. Since the food industry represents a 180 billion euro annual market in France alone, it’s a niche. But the sector is experiencing a 10 percent annual growth globally, like organic products initially did, and supply is exploding, » says Sophie Reynal. Especially in the US, nearly 60 percent of the gluten-free market. « Americans went deep into the idea of « no limits », that’s why they’re the forerunners of veggie and gluten free, » says Noélie Viallet, author of Guide des USA à Paris (Guide to the US in Paris) (éd. du Chêne), editor of the Paris New York TV Web site, and a consultant for an independent company that advises large retail chains. Back from a recent trip to New York, Viallet explained, 79 - paris Worldwide novembre/décembre november/december 2015 « When I suggested that the issue of gluten had potential, they responded that it was too marginal. In two years, gluten-free has become all the rage in Paris ! » A lucrative market, given the high prices. According to a survey conducted for UFC-Que Choisir magazine, gluten-free products cost two to five times more than their gluten counterparts. There are several objective reasons for this. First, alternatives such as rice flour have production costs that far exceed those of wheat. Second, these products require their own factories to avoid cross-contamination (such as wheat residue in rice flour). However, certain ideas remain in their infancy, like paraben-free cosmetics and toothpastes, and gadgets like non-electromagnetic baby monitors. Things are changing gradually – too slowly for some – in all sectors, allowing some to become aware of the benefits of « without » products, while others advocate « less » instead. This back-to-basics approach may well be the motto of the future. O Peter Singer, l’ami des bêtes PETER SINGER, FRIEND OF THE ANIMALS Philosophe australien, Peter Singer est un végétarien convaincu. S’il se refuse à manger de la viande, ce n’est pas tant pour préserver sa santé que pour être cohérent avec ses idées. Cet universitaire a su se faire connaître du grand public en intervenant dans les médias et en écrivant des livres qui ont retenti dans l’opinion. à commencer par La Libération animale, essai fondateur paru en 1975 qui continue d’inspirer les mouvements de défense des droits des animaux. Il pousse la réflexion très loin  : pour lui, toutes les espèces vivantes capables de souffrir ou d’éprouver du plaisir doivent être considérées et traitées à égalité. Rien ne justifie, à ses yeux, que les êtres humains s’arrogent une position de supériorité. The Australian philosopher Peter Singer has a vegetarian philosophy. He refuses to eat meat not so much out of concern for his health but for ethical reasons. The scholar has made a name for himself, appearing in the media and writing books that resonate with public opinion, starting with Animal Liberation, a seminal essay, published in 1975 that continues to inspire animal rights movements. Singer believes that all living creatures are capable of suffering and experiencing pleasure and therefore must be considered and treated equally. In his mind, there is nothing to support the assumption that humankind is superior.