Worldwide growth of veganism

• In 2023, according to a report by Meticulous Research, 2.6 million people in Europe are now vegan, representing 3.2% of the European population. Source
• Since 2020, according to The Good Food Institute, plant-based food sales in Europe have increased by 22% Source
• In 2021, the Euromonitor International Lifestyles Survey found that 3.4% of Europeans indicated they follow a vegan diet, 11.1% claimed they adhered to a flexitarian diet and 23% confirmed that they limited their meat intake. Source 
• In 2021, consumer research by Smart Protein Project found that The Netherlands and Romania had the most flexitarians, at 42% and 40% respectively. Much more information about European consumer attitudes towards plant-based foods can be found in the report. Source
• In 2020, according to data from NewNutrition Business, 4% of consumers across the region stated that they were vegan. Source

• Much more information - including 2020 sales figures for plant-based products in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom - is available in the Plant-based Foods in Europe report by Smart Protein Project. 

Austria

• In 2022, an all-vegan supermarket opened in Vienna offering more than 2,500 vegan products. Source
• In 2020, Smart Protein Project found that the sales value of plant-based food in Austria grew 57% between 2018 and 2020, while sales volumes increased by 52%. Much more information can be found within the report. Source

• In 2019, according to Redefine Meat, In Austria, 1.4% of the population are vegan. Source

Belgium

• In 2020, Smart Protein Project found that the sales value of plant-based food in Belgium grew 17% between 2018 and 2020, with plant-based meat showing the highest growth. Much more information can be found within the report. Source 
• In 2021, research from the University of Bath revealed that over half of Belgians (51%) were ‘satisfied’ with meat alternatives – a figure that has increased from 44% since 2019. Source
• According to Statista, around 5% of respondents to a 2022 Belgian survey identified as (almost) vegetarian and 3% identified as vegan. Source
• In 2022, The Brussels Times reported that 28% of Belgians have at least one day per week where they don't consume any meat or fish. A figure that has more than doubled since 2016. Source
• In 2022, According to The Brussels Times, four in 10 meat-eaters say they want to eat less meat in the future and 8% want to become vegetarian or vegan. Source

Czechia

• In 2021, The Czech Vegan Society found that 25% of Czechs are currently reducing their meat consumption, with 20% of Czechs including plant-based meat alternatives in their diet on a regular basis. Health was the main reason for Czechia's reduction in meat consumption. Source
• In 2020, according to the Czech Vegan Society, 4% of Czechs prefer to follow a diet that excludes meat. Source

Denmark

• In 2020, Smart Protein Project found that the sales value of plant-based food in Denmark grew 29% between 2018 and 2020, with plant milk showing the highest growth. Much more information can be found within the report. Source
• In 2022, The Vegetarian Society of Denmark estimated that 3% of the population (around 180,000 people) were vegetarian. Of this number, it is estimated that 45,000 Danes are vegan. Source 
• In 2019, research from data analytics firm Edited found that Denmark has seen a 320% increase in products described as vegan. Source 

Estonia

• In 2018, The Vegan Society of Estonia commissioned a report which showed that 3% of those aged between 15-24 were vegan. Source

Finland

• In 2020, according to research carried out by dairy brand, Arla, 2% of Finns are vegan. Source
• According to Natural Resources Institute Finland, the consumption of dairy products is decreasing in Finland. In 2019, a total of 148 kg of liquid dairy products were used per capita, 4% less than in the year before. Source

France

• In 2021, according to Statista, 2% of those aged between 20 and 29 identified as vegan. Source
• In 2020, Smart Protein Project reported that the sales value of plant-based food in France grew 21% between 2018 and 2020, with plant milk showing the highest growth. Much more information can be found within the report. Source
• In 2022, GFI Europe found that the French plant-based retail market is worth €425.7 million - the fifth largest market in Europe. Source
• In 2018, according to Xerfi, 2% of the French population were vegan or vegetarian. Source

Germany

• A 2023 survey by YouGov and Veganuary found that more than 3 million Germans had already taken part in Veganuary. Source
• According to a 2023 report by the United States Department of Agriculture, 1.58 million Germans identified as vegan. Source
• In 2022, research by ProVeg found that 51% of Germans had reduced their meat intake in the previous year. Source 
• In 2020, according to a survey by Veganz, there were 2.6 million vegans in Germany representing 3.2% of the population. Source
• Research by Euromonitor in 2020 found 2.9% of Germans classing themselves as vegan (with a further 4.3% saying they are vegetarian and 35% reducing their consumption of meat and/or dairy). Source 
• In 2020, Smart Protein Project found that the sales value of plant-based food in Germany (vegan meats, plant milk, cheese, etc.) grew by 97% between 2018 and 2020 (from €415 million to €817 million), while sales volume increased by 80%. Much more information can be found within the report. Source
• The Smart Protein Project report found that sales of plant milk alone were estimated to be €250 million in 2020. Oat milk showed the highest sales value and volume, followed by almond and soya. Source 

Greece

• In 2020, the Koukoumi hotel opened - the first vegan hotel in Greece. Source

Hungary

• In 2021, according to Statista, around 4% of those living in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, are vegan. Source

Iceland

• A vegan Facebook group in Iceland has over 22,000 members, which is 6.5% of the population. Source

Ireland

• According to a 2023 report from the Irish Department of Agriculture, dairy cows make up 66% of all slaughtered cows in Ireland. Source
• According to the 2018 Bord Bia's Dietary Lifestyle report, 4.1% of the Irish population are vegan. Source
• According to Chef's Pencil, Ireland placed 8th in Google search trends for vegan recipes in 2018. They also recognised Ireland as the 10th most popular country for veganism in 2020. Source
• In 2019, according to TripAdvisor, 20% of eateries in Dublin offered vegan options. Source
• According to a 2019 survey by Vitabiotics, 49% of the Irish population would be willing to go vegan to save the planet and animals. Source

Italy 

• In 2020, Smart Protein Project reported that the sales volume of plant-based food in Italy is estimated to be €425 million. Much more information can be found within the report. Source
• A 2020 study by Euromonitor International found 35% of Italians saying they are reducing their consumption of meat and/or milk, 3.5% saying they are vegetarian and 2.6% saying they are vegan. Source
• In 2020, according to interview data presented by Statista, 2.2% of the interviewees claimed to be vegan in Italy  Source

Netherlands 

• In 2022, McDonalds made the McPlant burger available in 250 stores in The Netherlands. Source
• In 2022, research commissioned by ProVeg Netherlands found that 28% of Dutch people want to see a future without meat and 20% would like to see the government ban slaughterhouses. Source
• In 2021, Statista reported that 39% of Dutch consumers described themselves as flexitarian (up from 31% in 2017) and 10% described themselves as vegetarian (up from 6% in 2017). There was no data relating to veganism in this specific survey. Source
• In 2020, Smart Protein Project reported that the sales value of plant-based food in the Netherlands grew 50% between 2018 and 2020, with plant-based meat showing the highest growth. Much more information can be found within the report. Source
• In 2020, LiveKindly reported that the number of vegan proteins in Dutch supermarkets has grown by 51% since 2017. Source 
• In 2020, it was reported that Amsterdam was the 5th best city in the world for vegans. It was the first time the Dutch capital made it into the top 10, meaning the city also won the prize for the most improved city ranking. Source
• In 2019, Dutch News reported that, in a survey of 20,000 Dutch respondents, two in five people said they were eating less meat and 17% said they were vegetarian or vegan. Source 

Poland

• In 2020, Smart Protein Project reported that the sales value of plant milk in Poland grew 62% between 2018 and 2020. More information can be found within the report. Source
• In 2018, according to the Economist, around 60% of Poles said they planned to cut back on their meat consumption. Source
• In 2020, according to a Market Report prepared by the New Zealand Embassy in Warsaw, there is a clear trend in Poland of declining meat consumption and rise of meat replacement products. During 2020 alone, sales of plant-based meat substitutes in Poland doubled. Source

Portugal

• According to 2021 data from Statista, 41,000 people in Portugal are vegan. Source

Romania

• In 2020, Smart Protein Project reported that the sales value of plant-based food in Romania grew 56% between 2018 and 2020, with plant milk leading the way. More information can be found within the report. Source

Spain

• In 2020, Smart Protein Project reported that the sales value of plant-based food in Spain grew 48% between 2018 and 2020, with plant milk leading the way. Much more information can be found within the report. Source
• In 2020, it was reported that the cities of Madrid, Valencia, Seville and Barcelona were considered among the best in Europe for vegans. Source 

Sweden

• According to research published by Statista, as of 2018, 7% of the Swedish population considered themselves to be vegetarian and 2% vegan. Source

Switzerland

• In June 2022, Burger King trialled two fully meat-free stores in the Swiss cities of Basel and Geneva. Source 
• In 2022, a Swiss independent think-tank, Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute, said that the Swiss population should eat an entirely meatless diet by 2050. Source 
• In 2022, it was reported that 4% of the Swiss population is vegetarian and a further 0.6% are vegan. Source
• In 2019, it was reported that 31% of the Swiss population were cutting back on or had eliminated meat consumption. Source 

Ukraine

• In 2022, Vegetarians in Washington reported that there are around 2 million vegetarians and vegans in Ukraine. Source 
• In January 2020, Vogue Ukraine proclaimed 2020 as "the year of the vegan". Source 

Canada

• In 2019, research by Insights West found that 87% of Canadians support a ban on animal testing for cosmetics, 71% include "cruelty-free" and/or "no animal testing" claims to be important factors when deciding which cosmetics to purchase, and 90% believe cosmetic products should be labelled if they contain ingredients that have been tested on animals after the practice has been banned in Canada. Source 
• In 2019, research by the Angus Reid Institute found that nearly all Canadians are familiar with plant-based meat alternatives (95%) and nearly four in ten (39%) had tried them. Source
• In 2019, research by the Angus Reid Institute found that among Canadians who regularly eat meat, 22% say they would like to reduce this, rising to 39% for those aged 18-34. Source 
• In 2018, a Canadian survey conducted by Dalhousie University found that 7.1% of Canadian adults consider themselves vegetarians and 2.3% considered themselves vegan. Source
• In 2018, the Vancouver Sun reported that nearly 40% of British Columbians aged 35 and under say they follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, more than three times higher than the average for all Canadians. Source 
• In 2018, research by Forum Research Inc. found that 22% of Canadians included a vegan food option for their winter holiday celebrations. Source 
• In 2018, according to Statista, there were approximately 850,000 vegans in Canada. Source
• In 2018, according to Statista, 36.5% of Canadian adults are willing to cut back on their meat consumption. Source 

Mexico

• In 2021, VegWorld reported that 20% of Mexicans identified themselves as vegetarian or vegan. Source 
• In 2019, a report by Parametría found that 78% of Mexicans stated that a claim not to test on animals was an important factor in deciding which cosmetic product to buy, 54% agreed that Mexico should implement a ban on using animals in cosmetics testing, and 66% believed that all cosmetic products that have been tested on animals should be labeled as such after a ban on cosmetics animal testing has been passed. Source 

• In 2020, research published by PwC found that 43% of Indonesian consumers said they were either "likely" or "very likely" to become vegan or vegetarian in the next 12 months. Other countries with high scores included Thailand (37%), Myanmar (35%) and Hong Kong (27%). Source [p.14]
• In 2020, research by NewNutrition Business found that 13% of consumers across the region stated that they were vegan. Source
• In 2019, research by Ipsos found that 87% of citizens of countries belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) would support instituting laws against animal testing in the region and 89% affirmed that a cruelty-free claim was an important factor in making purchasing decisions. Source

Bhutan

• There are no slaughterhouses in Bhutan. Source

China

• Research conducted in 2021 by Rakuten found that 87% of Chinese consumers had tried plant-based milk, 50% had tried other dairy substitutes, 42% had tried plant-based meat and 32% had tried vegan egg replacements. Primary motivations included health (47%), wanting to try something new (40%) and concern for animals (37%). Plus, the research found that 3% of respondents said that they only consume plant-based foods. Source [p.8]
• According to a 2020 Ipsos MORI report, nearly 60% of people in China expect to eat less dairy and meat within the next year in order to limit their own contribution to the climate crisis. Source
• According to The Good Food Institute in 2018, the market size of the Chinese domestic plant-based meat industry was about 6.1 billion yuan ($910 million), reflecting a year-on-year increase of 14.2%. Source
• According to Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, Chinese consumers are twice as likely as Americans to purchase lab-grown and plant-based meats. Source

Hong Kong 

• In 2022, Vegconomist reported that there were 21 vegan and vegetarian-friendly Michelin-starred restaurants in Hong Kong. Source
• Research conducted in 2021 by Rakuten found that 84% of consumers in Hong Kong had tried plant-based milk, 65% had tried meat alternatives, 28% had tried other dairy replacements and 18% had tried vegan egg replacements. Primary motivations were to try something on-trend (49%), health (46%) and concern for animals (26%). The same research found that 4% of respondents said that they only consume plant-based foods. Source [p.9]
• In 2020, according to a survey run by Hong Kong-based online magazine, Green Queen, four in 10 of those shifting toward a vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian diet were doing so for the animals. 24% said they were making the change for environmental reasons and 23% said it was for their health. This survey also found that 63% believe that it was not difficult to shop for vegan groceries in Hong Kong. Source
• Green Queen also discovered that over half (58%) found that being 100% vegan was expensive in Hong Kong. In addition, 75% said that it was difficult to eat fully vegan at restaurants and 65% felt that there needed to be more vegan restaurants. Source
• In 2018, according to Green Monday, about 25% of the population practice a flexitarian diet. They also found out that 3.7% of the population were vegetarian and that 70% of the population were willing to reduce their meat intake by following a flexitarian approach. Source

India

• Research conducted in 2021 by Rakuten found that 72% of Indian consumers had tried plant-based milk, 61% had tried other dairy substitutes, 39% had tried plant-based meat and 30% had tried vegan egg replacements. Primary motivations included concern for animals (48%), health (42%) and allergies/dietary restrictions (33%). The same research found that 21% of respondents said that they only consume plant-based foods. Source [p.10]
• In 2021, according to Statista, 9% of the Indian population identified as vegan and almost 25% identified as vegetarian. This makes India the country with the largest share of non-meat eaters in the world. Sources: [1], [2]
• In 2021, India was the country with the third most sign-ups for Veganuary and was the only Asian country in the top 10 list. Source
• In 2021, according to research by Kerry, the meat alternative market is now worth $171 million in India. Source
• In 2019, according to a report by Ipsos, 63% of Indians are willing to replace meat with plant-based alternatives. Source

Indonesia

• Research conducted in 2021 by Rakuten found that 86% of Indonesian consumers had tried plant milk, 49% had tried other dairy substitutes, 43% had tried plant-based meat alternatives and 19% had tried vegan egg replacements. Key motivations were health (53%), wanting to try a food trend (33%) and because plant-based foods taste better (25%). The same research found that 8% of respondents said that they only consume plant-based foods. Source [p.11]
• In 2020, according to Float Foods, as many as 78% of Indonesians had tried vegan meat alternatives. Plus, 24% of the population was planning to adopt a vegetarian or plant-based diet. Source

Israel

• Israel was third on Chef’s Pencil’s top countries for vegans in 2020. Source 

Japan

• In 2023, HappyCow, an online tool to search for vegan and vegetarian-friendly restaurants, had over 477 vegan restaurants listed in Japan. Source 
• According to a survey conducted by Vegewel in 2021, the number of vegans was around 2.2% of the population, while this figure was 1% in 2017. Around 20% of the population described themselves are flexitarian. Source 
• Research conducted in 2021 by Rakuten found that 77% of Japanese consumers had tried plant milk, 31% had tried other dairy substitutes, 40% had tried plant-based meat and just 1% had tried vegan egg replacements. Primary motivations were health (51%) and wanting to try a food trend (46%). The same research found that 2% of respondents said that they only consume plant-based foods. Source [p.12]
• According to 2021 data from Tokyoesque, 61% of the population of Japan had tried vegan milk such as soy, oat or almond. Source
• In 2018, Tokyoesque revealed that 31.2 million visitors to Japan were either vegan or vegetarian. Source
• From 2010 to 2020, according to research by TPC Bibliotheque, there had been a threefold increase in sales of vegan products in Japan. Source

Malaysia 

• Research conducted in 2021 by Rakuten found that 85% of consumers in Malaysia had tried plant-based milk, 51% had tried other vegan dairy replacements, 46% had tried plant-based meats and 22% had tried vegan egg replacements. Primary motivations were health (48%), wanting to try a food trend (40%) and concern for animals (32%). The same research found that 6% of respondents said that they only consume plant-based foods. Source [p.14]
• In 2021, KFC launched its Zero Chicken Burger in Malaysia. Source 

Nepal

• The Himalayan Vegan Festival, launched in 2021, is the largest ever vegan event in the Himalaya. Source

The Philippines 

• In 2023, it was reported that HappyCow listed 80 vegan dining options in the Philippine capital region. Source 
• Research conducted in 2021 by Rakuten found that 77% of consumers in the Philippines had tried plant-based milk, 51% had tried other vegan dairy replacements, 45% had tried plant-based meats and 31% had tried vegan egg replacements. Primary motivations were health (56%), concern for animals (41%) and concerns for the environment (28%). The same research found that 14% of respondents said that they only consume plant-based foods. Source [p.15]

Singapore 

• VegNews reported that Singapore Airlines was one of the world's most vegan-friendly airlines. Source  
• Research conducted in 2021 by Rakuten found that 77% of consumers in Singapore had tried plant-based milk, 46% had tried other vegan dairy replacements, 64% had tried plant-based meats and 15% had tried vegan egg replacements. Primary motivations were wanting to try a food trend (47%), health (35%) and concern for animals (26%). The same research found that 6% of respondents said that they only consume plant-based foods. Source [p.16]

South Korea

• In 2023, according to HappyCow, there were 137 vegan restaurants in South Korea. Source
• In 2022, data from Euromonitor found that the vegan meat market in South Korea grew by 35% between 2020 and 2021 (to be worth $13.9 million in 2021). Source
• Research conducted in 2021 by Rakuten found that 87% of South Korean consumers have tried plant milk, 27% have tried other vegan dairy alternatives, 30% have tried plant-based meats and 13% have tried vegan egg replacements. Key motivations included health (50%), wanting to try a food trend (31%) and concern for animals (29%). The same research found that 2% of respondents said that they only consume plant-based foods. Source [p.13]
• In 2021, it was reported that the Korea International Trade Association predicted plant-based meat would overtake meat from animals for market share by 2040. Source 
• In 2019 the Beyond Burger by Beyond Meat was introduced to the South Korean market, selling 82,000 patties that year. Source
• In 2021, research by GlobalData found that 55% of South Koreans said that health concerns are the main reason they would consider eating plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. 27% said animal welfare is their primary reason and 23% said their main reason would be sustainability. Source
• According to the Korea Vegetarian Union, as of 2020, there are roughly 500,000 vegans in South Korea. An estimated 1.5 million South Koreans eat similar plant-based diets, though they are not 100% vegan. Source

Taiwan

• Research conducted in 2021 by Rakuten found that 93% of Taiwanese consumers had tried plant milk, 27% had tried other dairy alternatives, 45% had tried plant-based meat and 26% had tried vegan egg substitutes. The key motivations were health (43%), wanting to try a food trend (51%) and concern for animals (25%). The same research found that 6% of respondents said that they only consume plant-based foods. Source [p.18]

Thailand 

• In 2021, the USDA reported that the plant-based food market in Thailand was currently growing at 2-10% each year, with growth projected to reach 10-35% per year. They estimated that the sector’s value would reach $1.5 billion in 2024. Source 
• In 2021, the USDA reported that the dairy alternatives market in Thailand grew from $604.2 million in 2016 to $803.3 million in 2020. Plus, the meat alternative market grew from $13.7 million in 2016 to $20.8 million in 2020. Source 
• Research conducted in 2021 by Rakuten found that 89% of Thai consumers had tried plant milk, 56% had tried other dairy alternatives, 46% had tried plant-based meat and 27% had tried vegan egg substitutes. The key motivations were health (62%), wanting to try a food trend (34%) and concern for animals (26%). The same research found that 6% of respondents said that they only consume plant-based foods. Source [p.17]

United Arab Emirates

• In 2022, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi debuted specifically vegan suites. Source

Vietnam

• Research conducted in 2021 by Rakuten found that 87% of consumers in Vietnam had tried plant milk, 46% had tried other dairy alternatives, 49% had tried plant-based meat and 32% had tried vegan egg substitutes. The key motivations were health (61%), concern for animals (40%) and wanting to try a food trend. The same research found that 10% of respondents said that they only consume plant-based foods. Source [p.20]

Behavioural changes

• A 2021 survey of 1096 Australians by CHOICE found that 9% say they are flexitarian, 5% are vegetarian and 2% are vegan. 55% of those following a vegan and vegetarian diet have been doing so for less than 5 years. Source 
• In 2020, research published by PwC found that 34% of Australians said they were either "likely" or "very likely" to become vegan or vegetarian in the next 12 months. Source [p.41]
• A 2020 study by Euromonitor International found 47% of Australians saying they are reducing their meat and/or milk intake, with a further 5% saying they are vegetarian and 3.4% vegan. Source 
• Of those surveyed by CHOICE, about one in 10 (11%) would consider adopting a fully vegan diet in the next five years. The research also found that 18-34 year-olds are twice as likely to be vegan as the average Australian. Source
• According to research by the University of Adelaide in 2020, one in five (19.8%) Australians were consciously reducing their meat intake. Source 
• In 2019, the Australia Talks National Survey found that 1% of the nation described themselves as vegan. 35% of these vegans said animal welfare was their main motive, followed by health (27%) and environmental concerns (21%). Source  
• Data from 2019, published by Statista, found that 42% of Australians are eating less meat or none at all. Among them, 10% of the people identified themselves as vegan or vegetarian, 12% as meat reducers and 20% as flexitarian. Source
• In 2019, Vegan Australia estimated that there were 400,000 to 500,000 vegans in Australia. Source

Vegan products and business

• In September 2022, The Vegan Society published a report in collaboration with the Christchurch Vegan Society titled Vegan Product Categories in Australia and New Zealand. The report, which is free to download, looks at the consumer demand for vegan products across the two regions in various product categories. Source
• In 2020, research by Chef's Pencil (using Google Trends data) found Australia is "one of the most popular countries in the world for veganism". Source 
• In 2020, according to consumer advocacy group CHOICE, there are now more than 250 plant-based meat alternative products on the Australian market. Source
• When asked about affordability, CHOICE found that 32% of Australians say the cost of vegan food is a barrier to adopting a fully vegan diet in the future. Source
• According to CHOICE, 29% of Australians consume plant-based milk at least once a week. Source
• According to Mintel, as of 2020, 8.7% of new products are labelled vegan or as having no animal ingredients in Australia. Source
• In 2019, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that plant milk now accounts for about 7% of all milk consumed in Australia. Source 
• In 2019, according to data from Statista, Australia's packaged vegan food market was worth almost $200 million and was set to reach $215 million by 2020. Source