Veganism is a trend that’s here to stay – the phenomenal success of this year’s Veganuary campaign is proof of that!
A record-breaking 402,206 people from 192 countries signed-up for Veganuary 2020!
This far exceeded our target of 350,000 sign-ups and absolutely crushing our previous record of 250,000 in 2019.
Our sign-up survey revealed more than half of the 2020 participants took part for ethical reasons, either to spare animals from suffering (37%) or protect the environment (18%), while 38% said health was their main motivation.
Just over half of participants (51%) were still eating meat and/or fish when they took the pledge, 30% were vegetarian and 19% were vegan. As in previous years, the majority of participants were female (83%; male = 15%), with nearly one-third of sign-ups (29%) aged between 25-34 although 18-24 year olds and those aged 35-44 also made up significant proportions (21% and 20% respectively).
Veganuary is now truly a global phenomenon
- Our highest participating countries spanned every continent:
- UK
- US
- Germany
- Argentina
- Chile
- Mexico
- Italy
- South Africa
- Australia
- Sweden
But how did this diverse group of participants spread across the world fare during their 31-day vegan pledge? Our follow-up survey, which was sent to nearly 350,000 people in six different languages, has revealed incredibly positive results!
Veganuary 2020: Official Survey Results
More than half of our non-vegan participants maintained a fully vegan diet for the whole month (59%) and an amazing 72% of them plan to stay vegan after Veganuary! When asked why they planned to stay vegan, the top reasons given were:
- Learned more about veganism
- It was easier than expected
- Felt improved health
- Discovered great tasting food
- The Veganuary email support
Even though some participants didn’t manage to stay 100% vegan for the whole month, more than three-quarters (77%) of those who didn’t say they are very/extremely likely to try veganism again in the future.
The biggest challenges participants reported facing during the Veganuary pledge were:
- Eating out
- Friends and family
- Missing non-vegan foods
This serves as a stark reminder that despite the increasing global popularity of veganism and the many high-profile Veganuary product launches in several countries, more still needs to be done to address negative social pressure and limited availability of vegan options in some regions.
Although the majority of Veganuary participants took part to help make the world a better place, more than half (54%) also experienced improvements to their own health, with the most common benefits being:
- Desired change in body weight
- Better skin appearance
- Happier mood
- More energy
We work very hard to equip our participants with as much helpful advice, delicious recipes and friendly support as possible, so we are thrilled to know that 98% would recommend Veganuary to others!
This figure has been consistent for several years, demonstrating the value of our work to those who want to try vegan – whether they complete the month or not, and regardless of why they chose to give it a go.
We are incredibly proud of our 2020 campaign and all of our participants and look forward to what 2021 will bring!
CLICK HERE to view the Official Veganuary 2020 Survey Results in more detail.
