New research shows growth in UK's vegan population

An estimated 2.5 million UK adults are following a vegan diet at the start of 2024, forming 4.7 per cent of the population, shows a recent research, highlighting the rapid rise in the trend with numbers growing from 1.1 million since last year.

According to a annual research from Finder.com, there were an estimated 1.4 million vegans in the UK (2.5 per cent) while an additional 3.8 per cent of Brits are planning to adopt a vegan diet in 2024. While they might not stick to their intentions, if they did, this would equate to approximately 2 million more vegans by the start of 2025, bringing the total to around 4.5 million.

More than one in 10 Brits plan to adopt a meat-free diet in 2024. An estimated 6.4 million Brits (12 per cent) are intending to adopt some form of meat-free diet this year, whether that’s becoming vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian.

Currently, 16 per cent of UK adults are following a meat-free diet, which is around 8.6 million people. This has increased by around 20 per cent since the start of 2023, when an estimated 7.2 million people were cutting out meat.

Over half of generation Z follows a meat-free diet or plans to start one this year. More than a quarter of generation Z (26 per cent), aged 18 to 23, are currently following a meat-free diet, including 9 per cent vegans, 9 per cent vegetarians, and 8 per cent pescatarians.

Another quarter (26 per cent) are hoping to give up meat in 2024. If they stick to their plan, this means more than half of this generation (52 per cent) would cut meat from their diet by 2025 – with fewer meat-eaters than those who have given it up.

Millennials (aged 24-42) are not far behind, with more than 1 in 5 (22 per cent) eating a meat-free diet and 17 per cent hoping to adopt one in 2024.

However, the desire to give up meat decreases with age. 14 per cent of generation X (aged 43-54), 12 per cent of baby boomers (aged 55-73) and just 4 per centof the silent generation (aged 74+) currently follow a diet that excludes meat. When it comes to changing their habits in 2024, just 12 per cent of generation X, 5 per cent of baby boomers and 2 per cent of the silent generation expressed an intention to become vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian.

Londoners are most likely to cut meat out of their diets

London leads the way with meat-free dieting, with 1 in 5 (20 per cent) identifying as vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian and a further quarter (25 per cent) planning to cut meat out this year. This is perhaps unsurprising in a city where there are so many varied and easily accessible options for those who want to eat vegan, vegetarian or pescetarian meals.

At the other end of the scale, Northern Ireland and Wales have the smallest number of residents not eating meat, with just 7 per cent each following one of these diets. Those in the North East are least likely to give up meat this year, with only 9 per cent expressing a desire to do so.