In January 2024, reports suggest that up to 1.8 million people signed up to take part in Veganuary, an initiative that encourages people to try ditching meat and dairy for a month, and longer.
While just a few years ago it was difficult to find a vegan option in stores or on menus, now plant-based foods have been described as the fastest growing fast food segment in 2021.
Food delivery service Ubereats reported a staggering 163 percent increase in vegan food orders that year, showing clear demand for meat- and dairy-free foods.
But perhaps most significant of all when it comes to food launches, Veganuary has been described by its co-founder Matthew Glover as a “bigger retail event than Christmas” when it comes to food launches.
January has been full of plant-based product launches, and retailers, diners and other food purveyors are happy to please the Veganuary contingent.
According to a discussion on (formerly Twitter) this week, there is a demand from vegetarians for non-vegan dishes in restaurants (file image)
In other words, there is a lot of demand for vegan food and supermarkets and restaurants are happy to meet that growing demand.
However, some have noted that demand for plant-based products may have peaked, with a vegan restaurant in Macclesfield, Cheshire, admitting earlier this year that it had been forced to put meat on the menu to earn more. money.
Adonis Norouznia said he made the decision to change Nomas Gastrobar’s menu after many customers came to the restaurant and left once they read the vegan-only menu.
Additionally, several meat alternative brands have seen their sales decline and some companies are facing closure as a result.
However, market research has attributed this to the cost of living crisis and the relatively higher prices of meat and dairy alternatives.
A report by market research company NIQ, titled Flexitarianism: from niche to mainstream, found that 14.3 per cent (4.1 million) of UK households in 2023 will consume a vegan, vegetarian, Pescatarian or flexitarian.
According to Katrina Bishop, UK thought leadership activation manager at NIQ: ‘UK consumers are facing challenging economic pressures, and price is a major factor deterring flexible consumers from purchasing alternatives to meat and vegetables. dairy, in the current climate.
“This is reflected in the impact Veganuary had in generating new interest this year, with retailers focusing more on general price messages, which affected sales during this period.”
At the same time, another debate has been generated: whether veganism has peaked and whether sales of some alternative products have fallen. But market researchers have blamed the cost of living crisis (file image)
Vegans do not eat any type of animal products and prefer to avoid all meat and dairy for ethical reasons.
The Vegan Society describes veganism as a “philosophy and way of life which seeks to exclude, so far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of and cruelty to animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.”
In addition to eliminating animals and their secretions from their diets, vegans avoid wearing their skins (i.e., fur, leather, and wool) and using animals for entertainment; For example, they do not visit circuses that use animals, nor zoos or aquariums.
But while it’s becoming easier to choose a vegan meal when dining out, one group of people has complained that this is a waste: vegetarians.
Unlike vegans, vegetarians simply avoid consuming meat.
While veganism is a belief protected by the Equality Act, vegetarianism is not, but rather a preference for simply avoiding meat, and some veggies are chafing at having their diet subjected to its more modern alternative.
This means that if restaurants offer a vegan meal, this covers both bases and is acceptable to both vegans and vegetarians.
This week, a debate broke out on X (formerly Twitter) with angry vegetarians complaining that vegan dishes are offered over vegetarian ones.
But while this may seem like a viable option, a debate on X (formerly Twitter) this week showed that a growing number of vegetarians are becoming upset about the lack of dairy products on menus.
According to an article on the subject published by the times: ‘An intense debate about
An upset vegetarian took to the platform to share his views on the issue and wrote: ‘I am neither (vegetarian or vegan), but my daughter is a vegetarian and is constantly furious at the lack of vegetarian options as they have all been replaced by vegan options. It’s the cheese, for her. She doesn’t want vegan cheese (to be honest, I’m not sure even vegans want vegan cheese). Other interesting people think the same.’
In the same vein, a third added: “This trend has bothered me for a while, vegan and vegetarian are different categories.” I want cheese, eggs, dairy and honey on my menus. Grouping us together is downright lazy, we both deserve consideration! Even if it’s just a (vegan) option, often ultra-processed: super lazy!’
And a fourth agreed, writing: ‘Well, I’m with that reader too! The gradual vegan incursion into restaurant menus, replacing virtually all vegetarian options, is a source of great disappointment.’
A fifth added: “It’s not exactly a big deal, but there’s a trend now to make the only vegetarian option on a menu also vegan.” People deserve real cheese!’
However, some took issue with vegetarians asking for options with ingredients like cheese and eggs on the menu.
However, the issue sparked heated debates and several people objected to having vegetarian and vegan options on the menu.
One wrote: ‘Keep the vegan options as some of us are vegetarians by choice and then have a dairy intolerance. Knowing it’s vegan makes it easier to order or choose it and know that it will be okay to eat it without risk of illness.”
Another wrote: ‘It’s a question of cooking with the lowest common denominator. There are three times as many vegetarians as vegans, but many restaurants no longer have a vegetarian option and expect us to settle for vegans.’
Meanwhile, a third added: “I’m a vegetarian, I don’t mind vegan options, although I will ask if it can be vegetarian if it has cheese.”
And a fourth wrote: ‘The question people need to ask themselves is why are they vegetarians? If it’s for animal welfare, then bite the bullet and choose the vegan option and stop complaining.’