Vegan Society's World Vegan Month 2017 survey results
March 26, 2020A report was released recently by The Vegan Society following World Vegan Month 2017 and the numbers indicate a big rise in vegan interest in the UK.
More than half of UK adults are now adopting vegan buying habits and the country is more vegan-friendly than any previous studies have indicated. Half of the survey participants said they know someone who identifies as vegan, and over 1/5th said they would themselves consider adopting a vegan diet.
19% have reduced the amount of meat they consume, and the same number regularly check their consumer products aren't tested on animals while 13% now choose meat or dairy free options from the menu when dining out - this is good news for us here at Bute Island Foods with our Sheese range being a 100% dairy free alternative that's perfect for the vegan diet.
51% of the World Vegan Month survey participants also said they actively welcomed the rise in availability of vegan foods in shops, cafés and restaurants with 9% saying they'd like to see a wider choice of vegan options made available.
1/3 thought there should be better education provisions in schools to teach our children about the environmental impacts of farming, and 26% said prisons, schools and hospitals should be legally obliged to provide a vegan option on their menus. Alongside this, 9% thought there should be a tax on animal based products to further the cause.
The general perception of veganism has clearly shifted, with 43% saying they respect those who give up eating meat and/or dairy products and almost a quarter (24%) said they actually admire them for doing so.
Sadly, many remain unconvinced with nearly half (46%) saying they would never consider veganism, even if they knew for certain they'd lose weight and have a genuinely beneficial impact on animal welfare.
Nevertheless, these figures are promising and campaigns like The Vegan Society's Vegan on the Go will encourage retailers to provide more vegan on-the-go food options to further establish veganism as a part of mainstream modern culture.
The referenced survey was commissioned by The Vegan Society and carried out online by Opinion Matters between 17-23 October 2017 amongst 2,000 UK adult respondents
