May 2006

NEWS/FEATURES DESKS

Grrrr! WHAT NOT TO SAY TO A VEGETARIAN

It’s here! National Vegetarian Week is this week!

22nd - 28th May 2006

Sponsored by Quorn

“Bet you’d love a bite of my sausage” and other things you shouldn’t say to a vegetarian…

Fancy a vegetarian knuckle sandwich? No? Then avoid any of the comments from our Top Ten of ‘What not to say to a vegetarian’ below!

From the cringe-worthy to the downright rude and stupid, The Vegetarian Society has compiled the all-time most annoying comments received upon telling someone you are vegetarian.

According to the slogan chosen to promote this year’s National Vegetarian Week, vegetarianism is nothing to be scared of. However, a veggie faced with yet another ignorant response to their diet definitely is a force to be reckoned with.

There are at least three million vegetarians in the UK and we have long turned the other cheek when a simple statement about our personal life choices leads to a string of predictable one-liners. But enough is enough and, before veggies and meat-eaters finally come to blows, The Vegetarian Society is attempting reconciliation by publishing guidelines on what not to say to a vegetarian if you want to keep the peace.

TOP TEN – WHAT NOT TO SAY TO A VEGETARIAN

1. Bet you’d love a bite of my sausage love.

2. But where do you get your protein from???

3. You still eat bacon sarnies though, don’t you?

4. I’m veggie too – I just eat chicken and fish.

5. I’m veggie Monday to Saturday, I just can’t miss my Sunday roast.

6. When you say you’re veggie babe, does that mean you don’t enjoy any meat at all??? (said with a wink and creepy smile from drunk men in clubs).

7. Hi, my name’s Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

8. Do you eat wafer-thin ham though? (From Nana in The Royle Family!)

9. So you're vegetarian, what about the poor carrots...don't you think they scream?

10. You don’t look like a vegetarian... you look really healthy.

CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR FURTHER PRESS INFORMATION, PRESS RELEASES AND DETAILS ON OTHER STORIES AND ACTIVITIES.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

• For more press information, contact Collette Walsh or Liz O’Neill in The Vegetarian Society Press Office on 0161 925 2012/13, 07973 108 165, 07973 108 167.

• Press office email addresses are: collette@vegsoc.org or liz@vegsoc.org

• The Vegetarian Society can provide your readers or listeners with free guides to going vegetarian, eating a healthy vegetarian diet and all sorts of other information, on our website www.vegsoc.org, by email to info@vegsoc.org or by calling 0161 925 2000.

Don’t miss out – join the rest of the UK in our buzzing, happening week!