250,000 people have tried vegan with Veganuary this year, making the current campaign the most popular since the charity was launched in 2014.
Veganuary 2019, which culminates today, saw us match the total number of pledges that the charity achieved in the previous four years combined, highlighting how far veganism has come in the space of just a few years.
500,000 people across the world have now taken the Veganuary pledge, and judging by what past participants tell us, for every 10 who took part in the challenge, 6 will stay vegan. A full analysis and breakdown of 2019 participants is now underway and the findings will be released in the spring.
This year’s Veganuary campaign was, for the first time, helped by 13 overseas partnerships. Veganuary extended its global reach by running localised campaigns in India, Sweden, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, South Africa, Japan, Iceland and Russia. The rise of veganism is not just a UK phenomenon, but is advancing at an incredible rate even in some of the most meat and dairy-loving countries on the planet.
Another highlight of this year’s campaign was the charity gaining the support of some fantastic new ambassadors and influencers, keen to share their experiences of veganism. BBC wildlife expert and all-round animal champion Chris Packham has been delighting Veganuary participants with his Veganuary tweets and video diaries, while Spanish international footballer Hector Bellerin told us how veganism has helped his performances as a professional athlete. And Harry Potter actress and Dancing with the Stars finalist Evanna Lynch moved us with a timely reminder that we don’t have to choose between human rights and animal rights when our hearts and minds are big enough to care about both.
Our work has also been responsible for the booming ‘Veganuary effect’ amongst food producers. Countless retailers, food brands and chain restaurants have launched new vegan products during January to meet consumer demand from vegans, and the millions choosing to reduce their consumption of animal products.
During January, Parliament also heard the voice of Veganuary for the first time. Several politicians took part in Veganuary, including Andrea Jenkyns, Jenny Jones and Richard Burgon, while others supported the campaign, including Kerry McCarthy, Darren Jones, Chris Williamson, Christina Rees, David Drew, Thangam Debbonaire and Caroline Lucas.
Rich Hardy, Head of Campaigns at Veganuary, said:
With a quarter of a million participants this year, Veganuary is finishing on an all-time high. Our headline-hitting campaigns have been featuring almost daily across national and international media channels. I think Veganuary has reached critical mass now – vegan living is growing, it’s here to stay, it’s part of the national conversation, and it has credibility. That’s great news for people, animals, and the planet.
Veganuary is run by a small team of committed campaigners. With fewer than 10 full-time staff, 2019 will see us develop a series of all-year round campaigns that inspire and support people to try vegan. While our pledge campaign is at its most visible during January, anyone can take part, at any time of the year, to suit them.
Veganuary’s not just for January! Click here to sign up for the Veganuary 31 day pledge today!
