The number of vegans in Europe has doubled in four years

We all know that veganism is growing, and growing fast. But a new report has shown that the number of vegans is increasing more rapidly than we’d expected.

Berlin-based vegan supermarket chain Veganz has conducted research into veganism in Europe, finding that within four years the number of vegans has doubled from 1.3 million in 2016 to 2.6 million in 2020.

Interviewing over 2,600 shoppers aged 15 to 64 from countries around Europe, Veganz found that the vegan trend was strongest in its own country of Germany. Moreover, Germany also had the highest number of flexitarians, with 30% of Germans identifying as such.

The wave of flexitarianism is also rising in six other countries surveyed, while over 30% of Europeans said they are consciously consuming less meat.

• Europeans urged to cut meat consumption by 71% to fight climate change
• IKEA is launching vegan meatballs that ‘look and taste like meat’ in Europe
• European Commission to support plant-based diets in new Farm to Fork Strategy

Lab-grown meat

The study also found that across all age groups, 20% are interested in trying cultivated meats or cell-based meats. Interestingly, vegans showed the most enthusiasm out of all the dietary groups, with 42% saying they will try lab-grown meat.

However, lab-grown meat is still a long way off being a viable replacement for animal flesh. San Francisco based ‘Eat JUST’ can produce 2 chicken breasts for the equivalent of around £40, however, a McDonalds burger costs just 99p. Until the price can be that of equal standing, cultured meats just aren’t on the cards.

More options

The survey also showed that nearly half of all vegan Europeans (45.5%) say they would like to see more vegan versions for sausages and cold cuts, followed by cheese alternatives. Consumers are also seeking more plant-based baked goods (38.6%) and snacks (32.9%). This indicates the key areas for companies to innovate in.

Veganz have boldly claimed “Carnivores are becoming a thing of the past” and we sincerely hope this is true. With vegan orders soaring in the UK, it seems that the plant-based revolution is really on it’s way.

Love travelling?
Here’s our Ultimate Guide to Vegan City Breaks in Europe.