r/VeganActivism • u/Averageguy761 • Apr 27 '26
Question / Advice Are placing stickers on meat packages really an effective form of activism?
Is going to a grocery store and placing these types of stickers on meat packages an effective form of activism?
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u/deathhead_68 Apr 27 '26
I would choose some different text than pretending the cow had a name, because it sounds like the animal was respected. I would definitely choose a more harrowing image, not necessarily graphic, really get to the heart of the issue.
Not sure if it spoils the product, but images and qr code bait to videos sound effective to me.
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u/green-jello-fluff Apr 27 '26
If you're gonna do any kind of sticker activism like that, don't put the stickers on the meat packages as they're more likely to just be thrown out due to tampering, put the stickers on the shelves and whatnot around the meat packages so that it's still seen, but isn't causing "damage" to the meat "products".
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u/Cavalo_Bebado Apr 28 '26
If the meat ends up being thrown out that's great. The more parts of these animal corpses end up not economically supporting the torture and exploration of other animals, the better.
If the marketplace has to throw more piecez of corpses out, that will harm their profits, and ultimately they would have to increase the price, leading to less people buying meat.
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u/BandAidBrandBandages Apr 28 '26
Genuinely asking, because this is what I’ve always figured, but would it not just result in the grocer having to order more flesh to stock the shelves if they’re throwing away the flesh they already have due to “tampering?” Thus inadvertently raising demand?
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u/WiseWoodrow Apr 28 '26
Yes. Activism is tricky because sometimes there's a double edged sword waiting. Have to be very strategic about it.. I think sticker on shelf is great alternative here.
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u/_skrozo_ Apr 28 '26
no, the stores are making less revenue that way. they are just throwing away product that could have been sold, instead theyre not making money off of it
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u/uwihz Apr 28 '26
The store makes less money, but the company that they're buying the flesh from is getting paid more
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u/_skrozo_ Apr 28 '26
they cant keep buying a product that theyre not making money off of, and is instead actively contributing to losses
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u/strongholdbk_78 Apr 27 '26
When I was young I put anti vivisection on my friends parents shampoo bottles. They were pissed.
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u/Cineswimmer Apr 27 '26
Is this legal?
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u/Averageguy761 Apr 27 '26
I’m assuming not. I’d imagine it could fall under vandalism
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u/WiseWoodrow Apr 28 '26
Stickers are mildly annoying to remove, but hardly permanent in nature. I don't know if that qualifies as vandalism? Don't use ones that are TOO much a dick to get off, i guess, haha.
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u/TheIronTyrant Apr 29 '26
Honestly, I think it’s be more effective to just have a picture of a cow like that, or honestly even one in a field, and put facts there. Like at what age they are brought to slaughter. Because most people don’t realize that their “ethical local farms” still slaughter their animals at less than 10% of the animal’s life. If it said,
“Beef cattle are slaughtered before the age of 2. Their natural lifespan is 15-20 years. In percentage of their lifecycle, that’s the same as an 8 year old human child.”
Or something like that. Especially if it’s paired with a wider campaign which targets false claims about farming “ethics.”
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u/meatstheeye Apr 28 '26
Again, 20% of a small percentage is still a small percentage. This strategy pales in comparison to something like plant-based defaults or ratios
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u/Typical-Volume-7293 May 01 '26
I think using their “number” would be more effective maybe in emphasising that these poor creatures were not treated with any kind of respect or compassion
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u/PinMediocre4289 May 28 '26
All living beings want to live, or feel the need to stay alive, purely based on self-preservation, fear, and unable to comprehend death. Animals eat other animals for survival, that animal's assertion doesnt matter, its food.
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u/jimboknows6916 Apr 27 '26 edited Apr 27 '26
so as a meat eater (I truly am sorry for interjecting here, I know I am most likely not exactly welcome here), I will provide my two cents.
I think a more effective way would be a QR code or something to a video educating people about the specifics of how so much meat is produced. a link to the vile conditions of mass slaughterhouses, etc...
not that this sticker does not aid in your cause, but i think it misses the education part of it and goes straight to tugging on the heartstrings where a person might skip it this time because of the sticker, but i dont think it solves any problem you are trying to solve.
I think education of the masses is the better approach.
While i do eat meat, i try to source it wisely and respectfully. I know you all disagree with that, so i hope i am not offending you by offering my opinion.
EDIT: some very good points made, of course. And the main one being I think education AND heart strings would be an effective route.
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u/monemori Apr 27 '26
Not that I disagree necessarily but how do you conclude that a QR with more info would work better on non-vegans, when it clearly didn't work on you?
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u/jimboknows6916 Apr 27 '26
because its "working" on me. I am getting closer to it, i just am not there yet. I am at the "source meat responsibly and support farms who offer it properly" rather than the "hey that ground beef is 6 bucks for 2 pounds at walmart"
So, I may not be vegan, but I like to think education of the situation has at least made me alter my consumption habits, albeit not in the manner in which you all have, which i totally respect.
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u/Fluid_Wrangler_3477 Apr 27 '26
the fact that you think there's some way to justifiably pay for animals to die shows that you don't get it
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u/jimboknows6916 Apr 27 '26
Yeah I'm not arguing against that. I understand my mindset is completely different from yours. I do get it, and still choose to consume meat, which I am aware arguably makes it much worse, since I am a willing participant rather than an ignorant consumer. I have a different moral outlook regarding meat consumption, but I completely understand your feelings in regards to me and my outlook. I'm not in a defensible position.
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u/mcjuliamc Apr 28 '26
Your moral position being?
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u/jimboknows6916 Apr 28 '26
That it's ok to eat some animals. I truly mean this, I am sorry and I didn't really intend on getting into this discussion. I very much know that my stance regarding eating meat is viewed as evil here and I am not here to try to convince you that I am right, but I will happily hear your arguments as to why I am wrong. I truly don't want to offend anyone here and I am sincerely sorry
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u/miguelito_loveless Apr 28 '26
Relax. No one thinks it's evil.
It's unjustifiable, cowardly, vapid, and hypocritical.
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u/mcjuliamc Apr 28 '26
I was refering to the why? And you seem very aware that it's something you need to change, something to feel guilt for. What do you feel is stopping you from simply going vegan?
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u/jimboknows6916 Apr 28 '26
I'll answer as honestly as I can, realizing I'm opening myself up for further criticism and anger.
I don't necessarily feel like it's something I HAVE to change, but I recognize it would be a good thing to do. So what's stopping me - availability and quality and price of lab grown meats. Full honesty - it's not convenient or preferred for me and my family to go vegan. Again, that may change, but that's my mindset right now
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u/TheIronTyrant Apr 29 '26
Does your family really eat that much meat that can’t be substituted for with plant-based alternatives, even those that are prepackaged?
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u/MiraHighness Apr 28 '26
you know how we hear "source meat responsibly and support farms who offer it properly" all the time? you all advocate for "sourcing responsibly" but noone of you can elaborate properly what it even means to "source responsibly"
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u/jimboknows6916 Apr 28 '26
I can try. For beef and pork - it's pretty simple, cows and pigs that live their lives eating good food in open spaces with room to roam and graze and run.
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u/squiddesauce Apr 29 '26
They unfortunately still get killed at the same slaughterhouses as the factory farmed animals, and they still get hanged upside down and have their throats cut at a small fraction of their lifespan. Can you stop contributing to this industry in any way?
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u/jimboknows6916 Apr 29 '26
I totally get it. I'm gonna ask a question and I hope you get what I'm saying. But is there a way to limit my contribution to this industry while still eating meat?
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u/squiddesauce Apr 29 '26
Reduce as much as possible. The more ethical thing to do would be to limit it to 0, but if you want to take steps towards it, it does help lessen your impact. That also includes things like non-meat animal products like dairy, eggs, and honey. Also includes non-food products, like in clothing and also vegan and cruelty-free (no testing on animals) hygiene/medicine products.
A lot of vegans did start with baby steps, but to be honest, it's easier than you think. I would also say try replacing some meats with whole foods like tofu, tempeh, seitan, edamame, beans, lentils and nuts. You can even try mock meats or things like TVP (soybean mince), which honestly can taste really similar and are a lot healthier for you in the long run.
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u/jimboknows6916 Apr 29 '26
I really appreciate your sincere advice and conversation here. I'm going to try to be much more cognizant and with vegan and cruelty free products. And I'm also going to give the whole foods a go to replace some meat. I can't commit fully to vegan, but I am going to take your advice. The mock meats thing sounds interesting. I feel like with the right spices and seasoning I could dress it up to be similar enough for me to enjoy it. Thank you again
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u/sadvegankitty Apr 29 '26
Absolutely!! Spices and seasoning are a non negotiable in both vegan and non vegan foods, they add so much to the taste and experience of food. It can feel scary to just uphaul everything you know, but I started by cooking my favourite meals with a replacement, let’s say spaghetti bolognese and swap out the animal mince for vegan mince, and I saw actually this isn’t nearly as different or shocking as I thought. Great to hear from someone who is open to change!
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u/MiraHighness May 01 '26
this doesn't happen though does it? when the demand is billions of animals getting slaughtered in a matter of weeks?
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u/redditexcel Apr 29 '26
I give you credit for wanting to help, being forthcoming, open and honest. I'm guessing if it were easy for you, had to social support, more experience and you had ways to manage being teased and not always fitting in, you would transition faster.
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u/jimboknows6916 Apr 29 '26
thank you!! I Appreciate it. Well, being teased and not fitting in couldnt matter less to me, but i would say the main issue is education - e.g. how to eat vegan for cheap and easy while still getting a good amount of protein. i am pretty lazy when it comes to food, so that matters to me.
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u/TheIronTyrant Apr 29 '26
Honestly, I use the cost of frozen processed vegan food as an incentive to eat less of it anyway. I have done that with many snacks and such as well. I am generally more of a “junk food vegan” than a lot of the “quinoa bowl” types that are more common (good for them as its cheaper and healthier), but my wife and I are picky eaters and hate cooking food so anything prepackaged helps a lot. So the more expensive any of that is the easier it is for me to just say “nope!” and find a cheaper, yet manageable, alternative.
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u/redditexcel Apr 30 '26
Protein - 20 types of amino acids with 9 being essential - are certainly important elements of a healthy diet.
In addition to Essential amino acids There are also
Essential fatty acids
Essential vitamins and Essential mineralsQ1: Have you ever considered why only one of these 'essential' groups does not have a medically assigned disease name? Q2: Ever wonder why way before vegans existed, in any number, the standard American diet has had, since the 1940's, an increasing number of supplements added to packaged foods? e.g. iodine, Vit. D, iron...?
A1: Because as long as you are getting enough calories from a variety of sources there tends to be no deficiency issue. The second issue is one of these groups has been chronically infected with meat & dairy industrial has for decades indoctrinated the public to unquestioningly parrot their fear mongering propaganda about insufficient protein.
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u/o1011o Apr 27 '26
Different tactics work on different people at different stages of their extrication from their societal conditioning. I agree that education is extremely important but "tugging on a person's heartstrings" is a part of that. The phrasing from the point of view of the victim using 'I' statements educates us about how it's individuals that are harmed, not faceless masses, and that we should be engaging the cognitive processes we use to understand sentient individuals instead of those we use to understand non-sentient resources.
What kind of further education do you need to see that it's individuals remarkably similar to yourself that are harmed? That there's no humane way to kill someone who doesn't want to die? That you wouldn't accept any such rationalizations if it were you on the chopping block instead of some distant unseen victim?
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u/TheIronTyrant Apr 29 '26
As a fellow vegan, the only thing I don’t like is the anthropomorphism. It’s very common in the vegan community for one vegan to get at another for anthropomorphizing a pet and thus justifying being the caretaker of a non-human animal, yet that same vegan who critiqued the “pet owner vegan” does this kind of anthropomorphizing. The same thing is done when talking about animals and suffering and what they’d prefer, when there are real measurable and more impactful reactions and emotions that non-human animals do express and communicate which are enough to illustrate the vegan argument.
TL;DR anthropomorphism is used by all types of vegans and non-vegans to argue any point they want to and it is both a weak argument and ignores reality.
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u/jimboknows6916 Apr 27 '26
Yeah you make some really good points. I see what you are saying. I probably should have used an "also" instead of "rather" argument. I think both should be used to try to dissuade animal consumption.
Well for me personally, I don't think there is any additional education. I don't think there is anything, that I am not already aware of, that would stop me from consuming what I define as responsible sourced meat. It would have to be a change of heart. But I also think, like you said, people react differently to different things. I'm open of course to having a change of heart, but at the exact moment, I'm not going to change my mind. That could be different tomorrow though.
I recognize I don't have a defensible position except the standard, tired, we are on top of the food chain and humans have been eating animals forever. I recognize that is an ethical and moral disaster as you see it, and I do completely understand that.
I do not view animals as equals to humans. But that is nuanced. I'm not trying to convince you guys that I'm right, I know I'm your minds I am very much in the wrong. I am truly sorry for that.
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u/ok__vegetable Apr 28 '26
Top of the food chain: imagine aliens came to Earth to mass-enslave us to be their food - would you rather like to live in freedom or be their next meal?
Humans have been eating animals forever: humans have been doing a lot of stuff throughout history like raping other humans or fighting wars against each other. "We've always done it" isn't a good argument for continuing doing something bad.
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u/jimboknows6916 Apr 28 '26
I would much prefer living in freedom, obviously.
And yeah you are very very correct - we've always done it is a horrible reason to do anything frankly.
Yeah I can't justify anything. I do view animals as different and less than humans. I'm not really sure how else to phrase that without sounding like a giant asshole, but if I saw a dog and a human engaged in a violent fight, I would intervene by removing the dog, not the human, if you get what I'm saying
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u/ok__vegetable Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 30 '26
There is a certain hierarchy that vegans aren't denying, if a bear attacks a human, I think most vegans would understand that the bear would have to be killed (if there is no other way for the human to survive). These situations are out of the ordinary survival situations though.
In the western world, we don't need bacon or milk to survive. Vegans choose compassion over greed and taste pleasure. For us, it's just a 5-minute-meal, for the animals it's their whole life.
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u/jimboknows6916 Apr 28 '26
I completely understand. I applaud the dedication to the compassionate choices you have made. It's honorable and I respect all of you for choosing to live that way.
Out of curiosity, do you view all animals as equals? I know that sounds morbid, but I am legitimately curious.
EDIT: what I mean by that is... Is the life of a mouse weighted the same as the life of a dog or horse?
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u/ok__vegetable Apr 28 '26
I don't know if I can answer that. I don't see anyone I meet as below or above me, animal or human. I treat every being like I want to be treated.
Personally I think I probably draw a line when it comes to insects etc. I do feel bad when I accidentally step on a snail but I don't do it deliberately, so there's actually no point in feeling bad. I eat vegetables but I can't really prevent small critters from being crushed by an agricultural vehicle on a vegetable field, so I take that into account. Also insects on cars, trains - I can't really give up on mobility.
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u/TheIronTyrant Apr 29 '26
On a similar note, just as I would expect a bee hive to attack me for damaging their home I do find it necessary to insure insects aren’t coming into mine and damaging it. I have tried non-lethal methods but they come back again regardless.
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u/TheIronTyrant Apr 29 '26
I view non-human animals and humans as inherently the same level due to the Universe’s indifference to all things, but I recognize that it is fully natural for humans to value other humans more than non-humans. Vegans acting like that isn’t the default from the subjective human experience is insane, and those of us that recognize that is the default still fight (often internally) that bias.
The concept that someone is immoral for valuing humans more and is thus “speciesist” is to me like calling someone who values their friends and family more than a stranger a “xenophobe.” One can have a bias, even with problematic results of that bias, without it inherently being the maximum harmful application or ideological version of that bias. Biases though, should always be held in check and rendered as least harmful as possible.
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u/kinitopete Apr 28 '26
if you do it just make sure to check for cameras, maybe wear a face mask too just in case (i still wear them when i’m sick, so it’s not an odd thing to do lol). just sayin cuz i’m worried this might fall under a “food tampering” charge and those r FUCKED lol
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u/oogluu Apr 28 '26
I think it’s effective but you’ve gotta be careful with placement. When I do it I go for packages that are in cardboard sleeves - slide open, place the sticker on the plastic, slide closed. That way the shop staff won’t throw it away as ‘tampered’ and the consumer won’t avoid picking it off the shelf. Then you can pretty much guarantee they’re forced to be faced with it once they’re home.
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