Since launching in 2014 Veganuary, the pledge to eat a wholly plant-based diet for the month of January, has grown steadily in popularity. In 2020, over 370,000 people signed up to the challenge, 100,000 more than in 2019, a sure sign that the interest in veganism is increasing at a rapid pace.

But who engages with Veganuary? Is it vegetarians who are making an extra effort during the first month of the year? Eco-conscious warriors? Or are the general population, the non-vegans and flexitarians – people who try to eat less meat on a daily basis but do not shirk it altogether – finding interest in veganism? We wanted to know: are vegans finally shedding their image as carnivore-hating, sprouts-munching militant hippies? Is veganism really hitting the mainstream?

WHY PEOPLE BECOME VEGAN

The modern veganism movement began in the 1940s as an anti-animal exploitation organisation. The Vegan Society, founded in 1944 by Donald Watson (who also coined the term “vegan”) began with a definition that veganism was ‘[t]he principle of the emancipation of animals from exploitation by man’. In the 1960s, as part of the hippie counterculture movement, veganism began to be taken up as a lifestyle for those concerned about the environment. And in more recent years, it has become associated with health. So animal rights, sustainability and health are now the most prominent reasons for people to become vegan. Another is those who are becoming vegan precisely because it is becoming more trendy to do so – and social media influencers have had a hand in building an audience for delicious-looking vegan food.

When we created a study on Veganuary, looking at users of the hashtag and followers of prominent vegan accounts, we found that those four reasons stood out in the top four tribes: Animal-loving Vegans, Eco-Foodies, Sophisticated Mums and Millennials Professionals. These tribes reflect the changing attitudes towards veganism and the broadening audience that is engaging with Veganuary.

VEGANS FOR VEGANUARY

The largest tribe, Animal-loving Vegans reflects the more traditional vegan viewpoint of eschewing animal-based products due to a belief in animals as deserving of a life free of cruelty and slaughter for human consumption. The tribe of over 330k users describe themselves in their social media bios with keywords such as ‘animals’, ‘animal’, ‘lover’ ‘vegan’ and ‘rights’, alongside ‘wildlife’ and ‘nature’ indicating their interest in animal welfare.

They engage highly with animal charities like World Wildlife Fund, RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), PETA and the RSPCA, as well as vegan influencers like plant-based food writer (and brand) Deliciously Ella, The Vegan Society and blogger Your Daily Vegan. They are your prototypical vegan.

FOODIES WITH A CONSCIOUS

The next largest tribe at 252.8k people is the Eco Foodies. Examining their behaviours, it is clear that this tribe is representative both of the rising interest in veganism from a sustainability perspective but also from a health perspective.

Their list of top influencers is a mish-mash of notable chefs and food critics like Yotam Ottolenghi and Jay Rayner, environmental charities such as food waste charity Love Food Hate Waste and health-minded brands including Pukka Teas and Nakd snack bars. At the top of the influencer list sits The Soil Association, the charity behind the UK’s organic food certification. Another influencer that indicates this tribe’s shared passion for the environment is Sustrans, a charity aims to make it easier for people to walk and cycle.

What is prominent in this tribe is not necessarily their interest in veganism, but their interest in the environment as it interrelates to food. Top hashtags include #ClimateChange and #foodwaste, but #veganuary and #vegan also appears. What this tells us is that this group is interested in veganism, even if it is not their primary concern. But it means that they are amenable to vegan messaging that is tailored towards connecting veganism with environmentalism.

THE TREND-DRIVEN BANDWAGON

The remaining two largest tribes in the study are Sophisticated Mums and Millennial Professionals. The fact that these two tribes, which have quite broad interests, both signal a curiosity in Veganuary shows the growth potential of veganism – and yes, it’s entrance into mainstream consciousness.

Both tribes represent the trendy heights that veganism has now reached. Sophisticated Mums are tuned into the latest food fads and trends by virtue of the publications they read and the content they share. Publications such as Stylist, Glamour and Marie Claire, which have each covered veganism’s newfound popularity, alongside grocery retailers like Waitrose and Co-op, who have expanded their range of vegan offerings, may have piqued this group’s interest in plant-based diets.

Another sign that Veganuary and veganism is reaching new heights is the Millennial Professionals tribe, which is the only tribe in that top four that is majority male. During Veganuary 2019, 87% of participants were female, so the fact that this group, which is 60% male, is registering interest in veganism demonstrates how the diet has penetrated new consumer groups. This mostly urban tribe, with audience members located in cities like London and New York, engages in innovation-driven publications like Wired and Fast Company, both of which cover startups and new trends including meat alternative proteins. The conversation may have gotten loud enough for this cohort to give veganism a try with it no longer feeling like it may be a sign of weakness to not eat meat, an old stereotype relating meat protein with strength.

THE FUTURE OF VEGANISM

Sophisticated Mums and Millennial Professionals represent where the growth in Veganuary could stem from in years to come. But so do other tribes down the list that have shown interest in plant-based diets. Take Startup Entrepreneurs, Trendy Students and Passionate Cyclists for instance – each have very different interests, read different media and follow different influencers, but each tribe has also registered an interest in veganism. If they are spoken to in the right way, on the right channels, for the right reasons these cohorts could easily jump on the vegan train, making a commitment to veganism that could last well beyond the month of January.

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