MEAT may be murder to vegetarians worldwide but in Hong Kong the message is more likely to be 'meat means money'.
Vegetarians remain an endangered species according to a survey by the Vegetarian Society, which believes people associate meat consumption with success.
'Hong Kong can't eat without animals, even the names of vegetarian food have to state animals,' said Leung Lai-wan, society vice-chairman.
The survey of more than 500 people found little more than four per cent - mostly women and Buddhists - ate no seafood or meat.
Some 60 per cent of vegetarians cited health reasons, although this was the same reason given by more than 40 per cent of respondents explaining why they ate meat.
The unemployed and retirees were most likely to be vegetarian (7.5 per cent). Only 3.7 per cent of men were vegetarian while 6.7 per cent of women ate no meat or seafood.
