A survey of former Veganuary participants has revealed that 32% are eating more vegan food as a result of the pandemic.

The survey identifies health concerns, having more time to cook, and associating livestock farming with pandemics are among key factors driving up vegan food sales during the pandemic.

More than 10,000 people responded to the e-survey which was conducted by Veganuary between July-August 2020, with respondents primarily from the UK, US, Germany and Latin America – the four main regions the charity works in.

People take part in Veganuary’s 31-day vegan pledge for many reasons and not all intend to stay vegan when it is over. On average around 50% of participants say they are going to stick with the diet at the month’s end. This survey was designed to discover if Covid-19 has made it more or less likely that people would continue to eat vegan food after completing Veganuary.

Of the 32% who are eating more vegan food due to Covid-19, 73% said it was to be healthier, 43% because they had more time to cook, and 41% due to the link between animal agriculture and pandemics. Respondents could choose multiple reasons from a list of five which also included: vegan foods are cheaper (11%) and animal products were sold out in the shop (1%).

“Although the Covid-19 pandemic has caused much heartbreak and hardship, these results offer hope that we will embrace this opportunity to change and build a better future,” said Toni Vernelli, Head of Communications at Veganuary. She added “Choosing a plant-based diet is one positive step each of us can take to protect our health and our planet, as well as help prevent future pandemics. And you can get started today with Veganuary’s free support – sign-up at veganuary.com.”

The small number of people eating less vegan food due to Covid-19 cited having more meals with family (46%), craving comfort foods (47%), and difficulty getting vegan products (46%) as the main reasons.

About the author: Jim Manson

Jim Manson is editor-in-chief of Diversified Communications UK‘s natural and organic publishing portfolio. He’s written widely on environment and development issues for specialist magazines and national media, including the Financial Times, The Guardian, The Times, and World Bank Urban Age.

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