Vegan movement is just getting started in Turkey

At first sight, the selection of products seems fairly normal in the little shop in the side streets of Istanbul's Cihangir neighborhood, where colorful containers fill the closely packed shelfs. However, closer inspection shows that the milk is made of almond, and the meat is actually made of soya. 

Vegan Dükkan is the "only complete vegan store in Turkey," said the owner Tarkan Aparı about his 12-year-old shop, where everything from condoms, toothpaste, and chocolates are made completely without any animal-based products. "But this is much more than just a store. It is a meeting place for likeminded people."
Especially in recent years, the shop has "definitely seen more and more interest, especially from young people who are curious about my products and the vegan lifestyle," he said. 

The same is true for the Vegan & Vegetarian Association of Turkey. Although there are no numbers of how many vegans and vegetarians there are in Turkey, "we see that it is growing rapidly, especially among younger people," Eşref Balcı from the association said.  

As an organizer of activities and a member of the executive board at the association, Balcı has noted that many more people are joining on Facebook, more vegan restaurants are opening in Istanbul, and more people are asking questions about the vegan lifestyle. "A couple of years ago, that did not happen," he said.
 

'I want animals to be free'
 
One of the young people who recently jumped on the vegan wave is 32-year-old Virginia Patrone. Since 2015, she has been living and blogging about her non-animalistic lifestyle. She agrees that interest in veganism is increasing, and she often get messages from her readers asking for advice. 

"The...