Assignment 7: Testing the Hypothesis Part 1

1) For this assignment, I'd like to focus on the difficulties people that follow a vegan or vegetarian diet face when grocery shopping.

2) People that follow a vegan or vegetarian diet in the United States encounter many difficulties while grocery shopping because they are unable to quickly and reliably gain access to information on if a product contains ingredients that are derived from an animal source as they aren't always labeled.

• The who: People that adhere to the restrictions of a vegan or vegetarian diet that live in the U.S.
• The what: They have difficulties determining if they can purchase and consume a certain product while at the grocery store.
• The why: Determining if a product contains ingredients that are derived from an animal source can be confusing and time consuming because some ingredients can come from either a plant source or an animal source and it isn't always stated on a label.

3) Testing the hypothesis for possible discrepancies.

• Testing the who: While this is an unmet need that directly relates to the experiences of vegans and vegetarians, other shoppers would benefit from knowing the sources of the ingredients in the food products they purchase at the grocery store. This can be for various reasons, like health conscious consumers or people with a allergy or food intolerance. Similarly, not all vegans or vegetarians might face this difficulty to the same degree if they restrict their food purchases to whole fruits and vegetables, products that they can identify all the ingredients of, or those that purchase only certified vegan products. 
• Testing the what: Not all food products contain ingredients with questionable sources. If a product is certified vegan, all ingredients have been verified and do not share equipment with other ingredients that are derived from animal sources so as to avoid cross-contamination. Some shoppers will only buy products that they have researched the ingredients before going to the grocery store or they use an app to verify in-person.
• Testing the why: Not everyone will find this a difficulty as they may simply opt for products that offer a clear explanation of their ingredient sources. They may even prefer to shop at grocery stores that cater to their dietary restrictions, like Whole Foods. Some companies may complain that requiring a label of their ingredient sources could be off putting to other costumers, may cost too much to implement, or may cause more confusion if they change their recipes while older versions are still being sold.

4) For this assignment I interviewed 5 people: 3 that follow a vegan diet, 1 that follows a vegetarian diet, and 1 that identifies as a health-conscious consumer. 

• The first interview was with a 31 year old man that has followed a vegan diet for 3 months. He expressed a great interest in requiring manufacturers to label the sources of their ingredients. He has encountered frustrations while looking for information on if a product is free of animal derived ingredients. He suggested an app could replace a printed label, but worried of its reliability.
• The second interview was with a 29 year old man that has followed a vegan diet for 2 years. He does not encounter much difficulties in the grocery store because he has become aware of which ingredients to stay away from by researching online. He liked the idea of a label for convenience, but doesn't think it's realistic because of cross-contamination issues. 
• The third interview was with a 25 year old woman that has followed a vegan diet for 3 months. She expressed great frustration with grocery shopping as she hasn't yet gained the information on which products to stay away from without needing to look it up online first. She said she wishes there was a larger section in her local Publix grocery store for items that are marketed for vegans.
• The fourth interview was with a 24 year old woman that has followed a vegetarian diet for her entire life. She expressed interest in an easier labeling system to help those new to the dietary restrictions. She also said a clear labeling system may help people become more aware of what they are eating. She typically shops at Whole Foods and doesn't encounter much difficulty with finding products that are suitable, but does think the cost of these items tends to be too high and could be off-putting to potential costumers.
• The fifth interview was with a 55 year old woman that has followed a more health-conscious diet for the past 5 years. She said she does eat animal products, but limits them to only a couple times a week. She expressed disdain for products that have long ingredient lists, especially when they are not easily recognizable. 

5) After conducting the interviews, I now have a better understanding of the difficulties these consumers face and how they are currently dealing with these issues. I also see the potential for this opportunity to impact a larger demographic than I originally thought. The answer to this problem can come in many forms, but the main focus needs to be ease of access and reliability. I think the best solution would still be a requirement for manufacturer's to label their ingredient sources, but in-store solutions may be more practical.