- 75% more vegetarian and vegan dishes ordered online
- Younger generation as main driver for vegan food movement
- Veganuary campaign reaches companies in the food industry
Shortly after Christmas, when our stomachs are still tingling from fried and boiled food and we are making good resolutions for the new year, the Veganuary campaign is calling for a new action. Consumers around the world are asked to eat exclusively vegan for four weeks in January. Veganuary also offers new inspiration to those who want to continue the transition to a meat-free lifestyle.
There is hope that this food trend from the previous year will continue. Because on Twitter and TikTok alone, the hashtag #Veganuary had over 170 million views by the end of January 2021. In all likelihood, the number of meat-free happy people will be even higher in 2022. Food trend researcher Hanni Rützler confirms in the Lieferando Report 2021: "A dynamic that - also in view of the increasingly obvious ethical problems in meat production and the growing sustainability debates - will accelerate even further in the coming years."
Vegan diet: 2021 more vegetarian and vegan dishes were ordered in 75%
The figures from the Lieferando Report show that compared to the previous year 75% more vegetarian and vegan dishes were ordered. However, even convinced meat eaters start thinking different, apparently it takes a little more than juvenile persuasion to save the planet. Despite the many positive side effects on body, mind and soul, a vegan diet is more of an theme for the younger generation.
Almost 30% of the under-40s describe their diet as vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian. For Millennials and Gen Z, veganism is an important tool in the fight against climate change. The learning curve in terms of own consumption of animal products is steep and therefore interesting for the market. The food industry is also increasingly recognizing this potential, as evidenced by the sale of vegan products, cookbooks and the popping up of vegan restaurants.
Veganuary campaign 2022 more successful than ever
Looking back to 2021, the Campaign Review of Veganuary clear how many people were enthusiastic about the goals of the "to live vegan" initiative. The results of the study not only prove the media success of the movement in helping people to be more conscious about food.
In the 2021 annual report, Veganuary CEO Ria Rehberg manifested her vision: “This year, more than ever, I feel that another world is possible. A world where plant-based foods are mainstream and the word “vegan” has positive and desirable connotations. A world where huge corporations invest millions in sustainable and plant-based options because they know this is where the future lies. A world where vegan products are everywhere – in supermarkets, restaurants, cafeterias and canteens.”
Go Veganuary - The food industry feels it has a responsibility and is going along with it
It is particularly noteworthy that Veganuary has obviously hit the nerve of the times with its visionary campaign to inspire and support people. Last year over, 582,000 people registered on Veganuary to at least try the vegan lifestyle. Around 556 purely plant-based products were launched and more than 224 million people were reached via social media.
These numbers are impressive and stand for themselves, which is why it is hardly surprising that even fast-food giants such as Subway, IKEA, Unilever and McDonald's are among the 200 cooperating companies. As part of the campaign, they are expanding their range in January to include plant-based menus. However, the long-term changeover remains questionable. The Veganuary also caters for consumers an ideal startto try out a vegan diet. It also helps to distinguish animal ingredients from vegan ones and to at least occasionally integrate vegan ingredients into everyday life.
