The annual Veganuary campaign is celebrating hitting a major milestone as it passes one million official participants.
The global pledge, launched in 2014 by York-based husband and wife team Jane and Matthew Glover, saw 400,300 sign ups in 2020. Kantar research suggests that the true figure sits higher still, taking into account participants who have not officially signed up.
Reflecting on the milestone, Matthew Glover, co-founder and chair of Veganuary, says: “When my wife, Jane, and I decided to launch a New Year’s vegan pledge in 2014 we expected only 1,000 people to take part. More than 3,000 signed-up and we were blown away. Now Veganuary is a bigger feature in the retail calendar than Christmas, reflecting the ever-increasing number of people choosing plant-based food.
Reaching the one million milestone in the middle of this pandemic shows it’s exactly what many people need right now
“One million official Veganuary participants in just seven years is a huge achievement, but the momentum behind the plant-based revolution will see us hit two million in no time.”
Toni Vernelli, international head of communications, adds: “Veganuarystarted simply to get people to try vegan for one month and see how they feel. Most participants say it’s much easier and more enjoyable than expected, and on average half decide to stay vegan while others permanently cut back on animal products. And that is the real impact of our campaign – creating a long-term demand for plant-based food and an incentive for businesses to change. Last year many struggled to keep up with the huge demand for vegan options and this year looks set to be even bigger.
“At a time when many feel helpless about the state of the world, Veganuary offers people a way to take positive action. Reaching the one million milestone in the middle of this pandemic shows it’s exactly what many people need right now.”
