More than half a million Britons are now vegan

This is great news for those who care about the plight of farmed animals. Reduced demand for animal products by people going vegan means that fewer pigs, chickens, cows, sheep, turkeys and fish must suffer in farms and slaughterhouses to produce them.

The study, conducted by Ipsos MORI, surveyed more than 10,000 people aged 15 and older from across England, Scotland and Wales. It also found that as many as 521,000 people who are currently vegetarian would like to further reduce their consumption of animal products. And with most vegans falling into the 15-34 age group, there is huge potential for further growth in the vegan community.

Says Vegan Outreach Campaign Manager, Ben Martin:

‘We’ve seen a huge rise in interest in veganism over the past few years, so it’s great to see this reflected in these figures. There’s been an explosion in vegan events happening across the UK and cruelty-free products are now more widely available than ever. Even some of the major high street restaurant chains are now offering vegan options as standard on their menus. It’s wonderful to see so many more people are choosing to reject animal suffering in favour of cruelty-free living. We’re really starting to see veganism entering the mainstream.’

• Read the Vegan Society press release about the survey results