Veganuary

➡️ VEGANUARY – Go Vegan This January!

This 31-day challenge is the perfect way to start a healthier and more delicious new year. It pushes people to try new foods and learn to cook new meals, with the hope of encouraging people to integrate them into their lifestyles 365 days a year.

Established in 2014, the initiative is run by a British nonprofit organisation to make veganism more visible and accessible.

"Our mission is to inspire and support people to try vegan, drive corporate change, and create a global mass movement championing compassionate food choices with the aim of ending animal farming, protecting the planet, and improving human health." - Veganuary

The campaign is supported by brands and restaurants that get on board by creating cookbooks, giving discounts, and releasing new products. Veganuary also has the backing of many high-profile celebrities, including Joaquin Phoenix, Billie Eilish, Paul McCartney, and Chris Packham.

"Veganism is not a sacrifice. It is a joy" - Gary L. Francione

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The Veganuary effect means that the amount of animal suffering caused by the meat industry is massively reduced in January, and so is the devastating environmental impact that meat-based diets have on our planet.

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Photoshoot to promote the Veganuary initiative. A lady with orange hair leans on the floor next to a sheep in a large open field. She holds a sign that says 'Relax! Plants have protein.'

The Impact of Veganuary

In January 2024, meat sales declined by 12.5% and 14.3% in January 2023.
Initially a UK-based initiative, there are now active campaigns in 20 countries.
During January 2025, 25.8 million people tried out the vegan diet.
Increasing the visibility and variety of vegan products, 1,480 new products were launched for Veganuary 2025.
After the 2025 campaign, 81% of participants planned a significant diet change. Of these, 32% remained vegan, and 33% reduced their animal consumption by at least 75%.
Regarding health benefits, 45% of participants reported improvements, including increased energy and improved mood.
The workplace challenge encourages employees to try vegan in January. Participating workplace cafeterias experienced a 57% increase in plant-based product sales.
A 2020 study estimated that for every 350,000 participants, 45,000 tons of CO2-equivalent are avoided.
In 2022, Veganuary participants saved over 2.16 million animals from suffering.
For every one million participants, an estimated 6.2 million litres of water are saved.

Image of Chris Packham the British naturalist standing in a beautiful forest. He wears a black Veganuary tshirt.

The Benefits of Veganism

NO LONGER SUPPORT FACTORY FARMING

If the demand for meat and dairy products is reduced, the supply will inevitably fall. This reduced supply will lead to the deintensification of the industry and less needless suffering.

SECURING THE WORLD'S FOOD SUPPLY

The farming of animals for livestock is incredibly energy inefficient. Roughly 80% of the world's soybean crops are used for beef, chicken, egg and dairy production. Animal farming is a leading cause of food waste, with global food insecurity a growing crisis, and 828 million people suffering from hunger. Massive reductions in meat consumption could transform our food systems and alleviate hunger for millions.

REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The raising of livestock, along with their subsequent transportation and processing, contributes massively to the destruction of our natural world. Animal husbandry is a leading cause of soil degradation, biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas emissions, consumption and pollution of water sources, particulate matter pollution, deforestation, and the spread of infectious diseases.

SAVE THE PLANET!

Vegan diets release one-fifth of the CO² emissions that an omnivore diet does. The UN confirms that, as one of the top three contributors to the global climate crisis, a powerful way to help protect our planet is by dramatically reducing our consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Studies have proven that those following a well-balanced vegan lifestyle have a lower risk of diabetes, certain types of cancer, heart disease, and being overweight. A healthy vegan diet is actually richer in specific nutrients, including fibre, antioxidants, potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins A, C, and E.

Other benefits include lower levels of cholesterol and lower blood sugar levels, and switching to a plant-based diet can support weight loss.

By avoiding meat and fish, we can also avoid other issues which are not yet fully understood. Antibiotic resistance, for example, is a growing concern. The overuse of antibiotics in livestock is blamed for the emergence of resistant bacteria and potential superbugs.

Regarding fish and other seafood, the devastating ocean plastic crisis means that seafood eaters are ingesting up to 11,000 microplastics a year. Again, the consequences of which have not been fully researched.

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We believe that animals should not be exploited for our own benefit. They are not commodities to eat, wear, abuse, and profit from. After all, if we can't tell our children what we are doing to farm animals, then maybe what we are doing is wrong.

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, the whole world would be vegetarian." - Linda McCartney

Better World Info supports the Veganuary initiative and all of its participants who are helping to make our world a kinder and more sustainable place.

Author: Rachael Mellor, 13.01.26 licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

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