Some people see the word vegan as meaning nothing more than a dietary option. They think in terms of being vegan as meaning they do not eat meat, eggs, fish, or dairy. These people get all the health benefits that go with eating a vegan diet. The health system is better off as these people place less demand on hospitals and consume less health care resources. The planet is better off because these people decrease the overall demand for meat, fish, and dairy based food production practices. All these things are good and positive for everyone on the planet.
People that follow a vegan diet usually begin to think more about the implications of veganism because they need to as they select their food sources. The more aware of this you become, the more you find the prevalence of animal parts in many places within food sources where you would not expect to find them.
The wide usage of the word vegan to cover a spectrum of meanings has had a confusing effect on non-vegans. It is now common for non-vegans to assume that a person asking for a vegan option is not particularly fussy as to what they are served. Sadly, it is not uncommon to be told that a food supplier “thinks” that something they are selling is vegan rather than being able to say categorically that it is vegan.
Independent of veganism, it is really scary being commercially offered food for purchase and consumption by vendors that have no idea of what is actually included in their preparations.
As people put more focus on understanding what they are actually eating, it is common for them to become more critical of their food sources. You are what you eat (!) and it makes a lot of sense to do serious due diligence on everything you put in your mouth because your health depends on it.