The Growth of Veganism in the UK

Regardless of the reasons, one thing is true: the growth of vegans in the UK is astronomical. Just look at the chart below

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest reasons why veganism is growing in the UK and why it is continuing to be an upward trend throughout the entire British region.

In 2023, 700,000 People Worldwide Signed Up for a Veganuary.

This is a new record for the amount of people signing up for Veganury, over 700,000 peeople, another sign of the growth continuing.

Why Veganism is Growing in the UK

According to Time Magazine the term “veganism” wasn’t coined until 1944, but the vegan diet existed long before that. There is historical data linking ancient cultures to the practice of veganism. Some examples include the Ancient Greeks and the ancient followers of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism throughout the Asian continent.

In today’s world, veganism continues to be largely practiced in countries like India and China. Many Western civilizations have begun adopting this diet as well. In fact, you can see large numbers of vegans in almost every country in the world.

The UK could have a total of 15.8 million meat-free citizens at the beginning of 2024 according to Finder.

There are many reasons that could explain the growth of veganism in the UK. The biggest ones include:

Health

A survey performed by Mintel shows that 49% of British people who went vegan or who were considering going vegan said that they do so for health reasons. It’s no secret that veganism has been a hot trend in the media and in popular culture for quite a few years now, and it seems that more and more people are climbing onto the bandwagon as more health benefits of a vegan diet are revealed.

Veganism provides many health benefits such as:

• Lowered risk of heart disease (by eating less cholesterol)
• Lowered risk of cancer
• Easy diabetes management and treatment
• Natural weight loss

As long as vegans maintain a healthy balance of all necessary nutrients, there can be many health benefits that are far greater than any diet that contains meat and dairy.

Animal Welfare

A surprising number of people are also concerned with the overall treatment and well-being of animals who are raised for food. This includes farm animals such as cows, pigs, chickens, goats, turkeys, fish, and ducks. Some nations have harsher treatment policies than others, and several undercover reports have proved the unsanitary and inhumane conditions the animals are put into.

In addition to bad treatment, many animals are also injected with substances that are harmful to the human body. GMOs, pesticides, and certain antibiotics might serve to fatten the animals up and give them more meat on their bones, but the overall quality of the meat goes down and can even make you sick.

Weight Loss

Losing weight is another big motivator for UK residents. Along with the many health benefits of veganism, losing weight is also a huge plus. This is because the vegan diet restricts you to the healthiest ingredients and nutrients on the food pyramid, giving you the opportunity to increase the number of vegetables and proteins that you eat on a regular basis.

There is even a vegan food pyramid that you can follow which will show you how to reap all the nutritional benefits of a vegan diet without facing any negative effects.

Some of the unhealthiest foods in the world include red meats, cheeses, and milk products combined with sugar. By investing in a vegan diet, you are automatically eliminating those unhealthy products in favor of a more natural and beneficial diet.

Facts and Statistics Showing the Growth of Veganism in the UK

There are scientific and nutritional studies that also support the growth of veganism in the UK and beyond. There are reasons supported by facts that show why veganism is such a rising trend in many nations across the globe. And veganism goes beyond just monitoring the food we put in our mouths; a true vegan does not use animal products of any kind. This includes leather and wool for textiles.

There aren’t just ethical objections to using animals for food and clothing, but environmental ones as well. The Higg Materials Sustainability Index found that leather is very harmful to the environment.

The effect that cows have on the environment is no new discovery as their methane emissions penetrate the Earth’s ozone layer. But the number of cows on the planet also has drastic effects on the world’s resources. The more cows that people eat, the more cows are raised on farms. Currently, cows drink more water and eat more food than all of the humans of the world combined. By committing to a vegan diet, you are helping to reduce the need for so many meat and dairy cows in the world.

It is believed that a large growth in veganism could prevent over 8 million premature deaths per year. Currently, in nations like the UK, millions of people die per year from unhealthy dietary choices and conditions. Switching to veganism could promote better eating habits on a global scale.

Will You Make the Switch to Veganism?

Join the 7% of UK citizens who are currently practicing a vegan diet for the good of the environment and their own health. There are many benefits to this powerful and nutritional diet that can also save the planet and the welfare of animals in the meantime. Just make sure you do your research to make sure you are getting enough nutrients from all of the necessary food groups. You can help contribute to this positive change by saving the world one animal-free diet at a time.