The UK market for meat free food is rapidly growing with meat-free foods (including a growing range of vegan products) shooting up to 22% between 2013-18 according to Mintel. Growth is set to continue as value sales of the meat-free market are forecast to increase by a further 44% by 2023 to reach £1.1 billion.

With increasingly popular campaigns like Veganuary and consistent media coverage about the health, environmental and ethical benefits from a vegan diet, you can understand why brands are rapidly adapting their products.

VEGANAURY

Veganuary is a registered charity inspiring people to try veganism throughout January. 2019 has broken all records with over 225,000 sign-ups in the first week of campaigning, compared to 168,542 people signing up altogether in 2018! WOWZA!

BRAND REACTION

As vegan foods become more readily available and consumers see adopting a vegan lifestyle as a valuable way of life, the demand for brands to develop vegan-friendly products increases.

Supermarkets are stocking more vegan options to keep up with consumer demands, Waitrose has even launched a dedicated vegan section in more than 130 shops.

The demand for vegan food when eating out is increasing; many restaurants have introduced vegan menus. Places like Pret A Manger, Pizza Express and YO! Sushi have really upped their game, becoming a popular choice for vegans and were rated 5 stars by Veganuary.

Food on the go is also increasing their array of vegan options according to The Vegan Society – in 2018 they saw seven out of 12 UK trains provide vegan options.

Vegan recipes are becoming more accessible through books and social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. According to Plant Based News, Vegan and Veggie Cookbooks are the third most popular genre of all time. Social media and celebrity endorsements have had a big part to play in the growth of the vegan lifestyle, with #vegan having over 72.2m posts on Instagram and well-known figures such as Beyoncé, Ariana Grande & David Hay supporting the plant-based diet.

Veganism doesn’t just stop with food and drink, more and more people are looking to combine their diet choices with their entire lifestyle.

The pressures to eliminate cruelty in the fashion industry has seen an increase in the number of brands adding vegan, ethically-produced and eco-friendly lines to their collections. Such designers include Stella McCartney, PANGAIA and our favourite animal-loving, young British designer, Simeon Farrar who designed an exclusive range of T-shirts for ASOS.

Vegan beauty is indisputably one of the fastest growing skincare and make-up ranges. According to Glamour Magazine, Pinterest recently reported that searches for vegan beauty are up 281% since 2017! Therefore, more and more brands are endeavouring to deliver vegan, eco-friendly options to their customers. Brands including Urban Decay, Skinny Tan and Botanicals’ are just a few of many brands leading the way with vegan beauty!

As the popularity for vegan products continues to grow, we can confidently predict that the future will see a further increase in brands investing in and developing vegan, eco-friendly and ethical choices for their consumers.

Sources

Veganuary.com

MORE THAN HALF OF ALL MEAT-FREE NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES IN THE UK CARRIED A VEGAN CLAIM IN 2017. Nov 2018. Mintel.com

The Vegan Society 2018 year in review, December 2018

Vegan And Veggie Cookbooks Are Third Most Popular Genre Of All Time, Maria Chiorando, Oct 1 2018: Plantbasednews.org

Zero animal-bi products, cruelty-free, and God damn good. AUGUST 2018. Glamour.