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Do you want to see better or new vegan food served in your local area?
Improving vegan options will not only make life easier for you, but will also help others along the journey to go vegan, as well as non-vegans looking for delicious food options.
Approaching chain establishments
Dear [insert name]
I am writing to you to ask you to improve the provision of vegan options at [chain establishment name]. More younger people and Gen Z are vegan than ever before, with Statista estimating that around 4% of people in younger age groups are vegan1. It’s important for influential businesses like yours to set an example and ensure they are sufficiently catering to the growing population. There are many reasons why this is beneficial for everybody.
Help customers to make more sustainable choices
With scientists, environmental organisations and government declaring a climate emergency, it is vital that [establishment name] does everything it can to support people to make more sustainable dietary choices. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that plant-based meals can, on average, result in a 63% "lower carbon footprint" than meals made with meat, dairy and other animal products.2
Include everyone
Shifting towards vegan catering is not just helpful for vegans alone, but to a wide range of people such as vegetarians, pescatarians and anyone else looking to reduce their consumption of animal products, as well as individuals with religious dietary requirements, including people who follow the Islamic, Jewish or Hindu faiths. Everyone can enjoy delicious, vegan foods and having more options signals to these groups that they are welcome.
Supporting healthy diets
Increasing vegan food options will encourage people to choose them more frequently, increasing consumption of healthy fruit, veg, pulses and wholegrains. This has the potential to address some of the many diet-related public health crises affecting the UK and putting additional strain on the NHS. A vegan diet has so many health benefits including the potential to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, benefits for gut health and the potential to reduce the risk of certain cancers.3
Enhancing profitability
Using vegan ingredients can be cheaper than using animal products. Simple and affordable alternatives to animals include protein-rich foods such as tofu, chickpeas, dried beans and lentils, as well as oats, chickpea water and chickpea flour which can be used in dessert recipes. This means your business could save money by simply increasing the percentage of vegan options on your menu.
I hope to hear back from you about your plans to include multiple nutritious vegan options on your menus. I’m sure you’ll agree that now is the time for us all to play a role in trying to combat the climate emergency and as a large organisation you have huge influence and potential to lead the way on this much needed change.
Should you need support in developing balanced vegan options, The Vegan Society would be very happy to help, they have in-house dietitians who have supported catering teams in building nutritious and cost-effective vegan menus. You can contact them at nutrition[at]vegansociety[dot]com.
You can also find helpful resources on The Vegan Society's website or contact their campaigns team at campaigns[at]vegansociety[dot]com.
Yours sincerely
[Sender name]
1. Wunsch, N. (2024). Share of vegans in the United Kingdom 2023, by age group. Statista. https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1261046/adults-following-vegan-diet-in-uk-age-group (accessed 16/07/2023)
2. IPCC. (2023). AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023. https://report.ipcc.ch/ar6syr/pdf/IPCC_AR6_SYR_LongerReport.pdf (accessed 16/07/2023)
3. The Vegan Society. (2024). https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/why-go-vegan/health (vegansociety.com) (accessed 23/07/2023)
Request a pack
Whether you’re a business looking for support or a customer looking to encourage local businesses to improve their options, we have updated and created new resources to support you. Using the form below, you can request a FREE pack to be sent to your chosen address!
Please note, there may be up to a month’s wait to receive your pack due to a high volume of requests.
If you would like to approach a local business by email to encourage them to improve their menu or thank them for the vegan options they have introduced, the email templates below can support you in these conversations.
Thank you email template for businesses
Thank you email template for businesses
Dear [insert establishment name],
I am writing to you as a local resident to thank you for the vegan [INSERT FOOD OR DRINK] options available at [INSERT BUSINESS NAME].
As the number of vegans in the UK continues to rise, it’s encouraging to see businesses like yours catering to the growing population. By providing a range of quality, tasty and nutritious vegan options on your menu you are showcasing your business as inclusive, and I wanted to personally thank you.
Should you be interested in developing more balanced vegan options, The Vegan Society would be delighted to support your team to build nutritious dishes for your menu. They have in-house dietitians who can help answer any nutrition-related questions you may have. You can contact them at nutrition[at]vegansociety[dot]com. You can also find several useful resources hereand email The Vegan Society’s campaigns team at campaigns[at]vegansociety[dot]com for more information.
Thank you once again for remaining an inclusive establishment and considering the wellbeing of vegans and non-vegans alike who wish to enjoy vegan food and beverages in our local town.
Yours sincerely,
[Sender name]
Approaching local businesses email template
Approaching local businesses email template
Dear [name of establishment owner or manager],
As a local resident in [local area] I wanted to get in touch to ask whether you might consider including more vegan options in your establishment. As you may be aware, the number of vegans is steadily growing, and alongside catering for this group, vegan options can have a wide range of benefits.
Increasing inclusivity
Vegan options are often suitable for many different people. This includes vegetarians, pescatarians and anyone else looking to reduce their consumption of animal products, as well as those with religious dietary requirements, such as people who follow Islamic, Jewish or Hindu faiths.
Championing environmentalism
Research by Nature Food shows that agriculture and land use are major sources of greenhouse gases and that global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice those of plant-based food. You can find more information on how a vegan diet can have a significant positive impact on the environment through Plate Up for the Planet.
Supporting healthy diets
In 2021, a major review into the impact of diet on health found that replacing meat and dairy with whole grains, beans, nuts and olive oil may significantly reduce cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. When people follow a vegan diet, they often eat more fruit and vegetables and enjoy meals higher in fibre and lower in saturated fat.
Enhancing profitability
Using plant-based ingredients can be cheaper than using animal products. Simple, affordable foods such as beans, chickpeas, tofu and lentils are great, protein-rich alternatives to animal products in curries, chillis and stir fries. Oats, chickpea water and chickpea flour work well in dessert recipes. Your business could save money by increasing the percentage of vegan options on your menu.
Should you be interested in further developing balanced vegan options, I recommend using the resources provided by The Vegan Society which can be found at vegansociety.com/vegan-towns. If you’d like advice about creating nutritious and tasty dishes for your menu, please email campaigns[at]vegansociety[dot]com for further support.
It would be great to see more vegan options available for me and others like me, when I go out to eat locally.
Yours sincerely,
[Sender name]
1. Shah, S.K. 2023. Linkpost: Survey evidence on the number of vegans in the UK, EA Forum, https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/HuLCFBEbekZ6AE7LP/linkpost-survey-evidence-on-the-number-of-vegans-i... (accessed 20 March 2024)
2. Scarborough P, Clark M, Cobiac L, Papier K, Knuppel A, Lynch J, Harrington R, Key T and Springmann M. Vegans, Vegetarians, fish-eaters, and meat-eaters in the UK show discrepant environmental impacts. Nature Food 2023; 3: 565–574, http://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-023-00795 (accessed 18 August 2023)
3. Xu, X., Sharma, P., Shu, S. et al. Global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice those of plant-based foods. Nat Food 2021; 2: 724–732 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00358-x (accessed 4 April 2024)
4. Neuenschwander, M. Stadelmaier, J. et al. Substitution of animal-based with plant-based foods on cardiometabolic health and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMC Medicine 2023; 21(404): https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-023-03093-1 (accessed 4 April 2024)
Approaching chain establishments email template
Approaching chain establishments
Dear [insert name]
I am writing to you to ask you to improve the provision of vegan options at [chain establishment name]. More younger people and Gen Z are vegan than ever before, with Statista estimating that around 4% of people in younger age groups are vegan1. It’s important for influential businesses like yours to set an example and ensure they are sufficiently catering to the growing population. There are many reasons why this is beneficial for everybody.
Help customers to make more sustainable choices
With scientists, environmental organisations and government declaring a climate emergency, it is vital that [establishment name] does everything it can to support people to make more sustainable dietary choices. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that plant-based meals can, on average, result in a 63% "lower carbon footprint" than meals made with meat, dairy and other animal products.2
Include everyone
Shifting towards vegan catering is not just helpful for vegans alone, but to a wide range of people such as vegetarians, pescatarians and anyone else looking to reduce their consumption of animal products, as well as individuals with religious dietary requirements, including people who follow the Islamic, Jewish or Hindu faiths. Everyone can enjoy delicious, vegan foods and having more options signals to these groups that they are welcome.
Supporting healthy diets
Increasing vegan food options will encourage people to choose them more frequently, increasing consumption of healthy fruit, veg, pulses and wholegrains. This has the potential to address some of the many diet-related public health crises affecting the UK and putting additional strain on the NHS. A vegan diet has so many health benefits including the potential to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, benefits for gut health and the potential to reduce the risk of certain cancers.3
Enhancing profitability
Using vegan ingredients can be cheaper than using animal products. Simple and affordable alternatives to animals include protein-rich foods such as tofu, chickpeas, dried beans and lentils, as well as oats, chickpea water and chickpea flour which can be used in dessert recipes. This means your business could save money by simply increasing the percentage of vegan options on your menu.
I hope to hear back from you about your plans to include multiple nutritious vegan options on your menus. I’m sure you’ll agree that now is the time for us all to play a role in trying to combat the climate emergency and as a large organisation you have huge influence and potential to lead the way on this much needed change.
Should you need support in developing balanced vegan options, The Vegan Society would be very happy to help, they have in-house dietitians who have supported catering teams in building nutritious and cost-effective vegan menus. You can contact them at nutrition[at]vegansociety[dot]com.
You can also find helpful resources on The Vegan Society's website or contact their campaigns team at campaigns[at]vegansociety[dot]com.
Yours sincerely
[Sender name]
1. Wunsch, N. (2024). Share of vegans in the United Kingdom 2023, by age group. Statista. https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1261046/adults-following-vegan-diet-in-uk-age-group (accessed 16/07/2023)
2. IPCC. (2023). AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023. https://report.ipcc.ch/ar6syr/pdf/IPCC_AR6_SYR_LongerReport.pdf (accessed 16/07/2023)
3. The Vegan Society. (2024). https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/why-go-vegan/health (vegansociety.com) (accessed 23/07/2023)
Thank you for supporting us! By taking important action in your local area, you’re helping us create a more compassionate and healthier future that’s kinder to animals!
