ABSTRACT
In this paper, I explore the connections between religion, ethics and vegetarianism by drawing on recent developments in the McDonald’s empire. By using the case of the expansion of the fast-food global corporation in India in this paper I explore the links and tensions between religious beliefs, an ethical commitment to vegetarianism, and the translation of (religious) ethics into profit-maximization by global corporations. I plan to explore these issues by considering the growth of vegetarianism as a profit-maximizing element of the food industry in the context of ethical commitments and religious beliefs that centre on considerations for all beings. In order to do this, I consider vegetarianism as an ethical and as a lifestyle choice and then go on to think about the growth of vegetarianism, the embracing of vegetarianism by global corporations and issues associated with the expansion of McDonald’s in the context of religious observance.
