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2 million Britons now claim to follow a plant-based diet

2 million Britons now claim to follow a plant-based diet

According to a survey by The Vegan Society, 3% of people in the UK claim to eat a vegan or plant-based diet, which is around 2 million people in total.

What do the demographic data show?

However, the survey found that there are significant differences between regions, with 4% of the population in London, the North East and South West of England claiming to be vegan or plant-based, compared to just 2% in Scotland, Wales and the East Midlands.

10% of respondents said they had reduced or completely stopped eating animal products, 4% said they were vegetarian and 3% said they were pescetarian. Young people are twice as likely as older people to follow a plant-based diet, and women are more likely to do so than men (3.6% compared to 1.98%). In addition, graduates are significantly more likely to be vegan or follow a plant-based diet than non-graduates.

Young people are more likely to choose a plant-based diet than older people, and women are more likely to do so than men / Photo: Freepik

NÉGYOSZ 2023 conducted a survey entitled How do Hungarians perceive plant-based diets and foods? According to the results of the survey, 84% of the Hungarian population consider themselves omnivores, while 13% are flexitarians, 2% are vegetarians and 1% are vegans. Previous surveys have put the number of flexitarians at 7-9%, so this group is also growing significantly in Hungary.

The most common motivation is animal welfare

Returning to the UK survey, 57% of respondents cited animal welfare as a motivation for choosing a plant-based diet. This was closely followed by physical health with 52%, while environmental concerns came in 3rd place with 48%.

Vegan, plant-based and other dietary trends in the UK – infographic / Source: The Vegan Society

The 2023 Hungarian survey also showed that the animal welfare, health and environmental benefits of plant-based diets are important for flexitarians, vegetarians and vegans. However, price plays a major role in the dietary choices of Hungarian consumers.

A remarkable transformation

The survey only covered Great Britain and did not include Northern Ireland, so the total number of people following a plant-based diet in the UK may be even higher. A study last year estimated that up to 2.5 million Britons could be affected, an increase of 1.1 million compared to 2023.

The spread of veganism is also underpinned by the growing interest in plant-based dishes in restaurants. According to figures published last month, in 2024, the number of ‘plant-based’ orders in UK fast food restaurants increased by 56% and vegetarian orders by 64%.

“These results show a remarkable shift in attitudes towards veganism and plant-based living in the UK. It’s inspiring to see younger generations leading the way, with more and more people choosing a more sustainable and compassionate lifestyle for reasons ranging from health to the environment and animal welfare.” – said Claire Ogley, head of campaigns, policy and research at The Vegan Society.

(Source of featured image: Freepik.com)