Share of vegans in the United Kingdom 2023, by age group

In 2023, about four percent of responding 20 to 29-year-olds in the United Kingdom stated that they followed a vegan diet. Respondents under fifty were more likely to be vegans than those over. With small shares of the population, it is often difficult to track the number of actual vegans, as an error of only one percent in a survey can significantly change the size of the expected vegan population. 

Veganism worldwide

Global interest in veganism has increased during the last decades. In January 2022, Just under 630 thousand people participated in Veganuary, a global campaign to get people to only eat vegan food during January, led by a British non-profit organization. By comparison, the figure was 2,300 in 2016. According to a survey, India has the largest share of vegans worldwide, as about 13 percent of the population follows a vegan diet. India is followed by China and the United States (U.S.), where the share of vegans is approximately six and four percent, respectively.

Veganism in the UK

Wales, Scotland, and London are the regions where more consumers than in the rest of the country want to participate in Veganuary. In Wales, the share of survey respondents that said it wanted to try to follow a vegan diet was seven percent. In the other two regions it was six percent. The south of England showed the least interest overall. The interest in Veganuary is especially high among the youngest consumers, as twelve percent of 18 to 24-year-olds have decided to take part in the challenge and live a vegan lifestyle for the entire month. The share of vegans in the United Kingdom (UK) varies among regions. The largest share of vegans in the UK can be found in London, at 3.67 percent. The share of vegans in Scotland is approximately 3 percent. As with interest in Veganuary, the South brings up the rear.