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Veganuary 2018 was the biggest and best year yet, but how many people took part, and more importantly – how many plan to stick with it now that January is over?
Veganuary 2018 was the biggest year yet with 168,500 registered participants from 165 countries, well above the figure of 150,00 originally predicted by the charity.
But after all the seitan steaks and meatless burgers have been chowed down, did it actually change anything? Veganuary’s participant survey reveals the answer to the big questions: who, why and what happens next?
- 40% of survey respondents* identified as omnivore before taking part in Veganuary. 16% were pescetarian; 33% vegetarian; and 11% already vegan
- 83% were female; 15% male; 1% gender non-conforming; and 1% other
- For every 100 people registering, another 12 family members or friends also took part
- 43% took part because of animal welfare/rights; 39% for their health; and 10% because of environmental concerns
- 82% of (previously non-vegan) survey respondents stayed vegan (95%+ of meals eaten) throughout the month
- 62% of (previously non-vegan) respondents said they intended to remain vegan afterwards. This is because:
- They learned more about the issues such as animal cruelty and environmental impact (86%)
- Being vegan was easier than they expected (82%)
- Their health improved (67%)
- 66% of respondents reported improvements to their health, including energy levels (60%), mood (57%), body weight (52%) and better skin appearance (49%)
- 99% of survey respondents would recommend Veganuary to others
Veganuary’s Chief Executive, Simon Winch is delighted with the response to this year’s campaign, saying: “2018 has been a stellar year for Veganuary, with tens of thousands of people discovering the benefits of a vegan diet and deciding to stick with it once the month is over.
“Right across the world, people are recognising that each of us can truly make a difference to our health, to animals and to the environment, and we can do it easily – and tastily – three times a day. Small changes that we make have a huge collective impact, and for the two-thirds of our participants who reported health benefits in just four weeks, there is another incentive to remain vegan.
“We are so proud of the Class of 2018 for embracing the challenge with an open mind, and for everything they have achieved. It’s been an absolute pleasure to help them take their first plant-based steps and we offer heartfelt congratulations to all.”
* The survey was sent to 50% of Veganuary 2018 participants, with a response rate of 14%
