Being Vegetarian in a Vegan World

Veganism, once considered a niche market, is now very much mainstream thanks to a considerable increase in Brits opting for a plant-based lifestyle in recent years which is a really positive move forward not only for Vegans but also Vegetarians. Being someone who loves good food seeing so many options choices with new products seemingly coming out every week is amazing and it's easier now then ever to cut down meat from your diet. A survey by comparethemarket.com confirms that there has been an incredible 700% growth in the last two years, with more than 3.5 million British people now identifying as vegans. With 7% of the population now enjoying a vegan lifestyle, and a further 14% following a vegetarian diet, now is a great time to consider starting a vegan business as their is clearly a market out there.

Why is Veganism on the rise?

Well besides the flock of celebrities converting to the Vegan way of life as well as the abundance of mouth watering images found daily on Instagram there has also been a rise in fun campaigns such as Veganuary (going vegan for January) initiative. It was introduced to the UK in 2014 with participants growing year on year and even if you don't commit longer than January it usually makes people think about the food they are eating and encouraging more people to include more plant-based dishes in their weekly food plan. In 2018, the number of people taking part increased by 183%, with 168,542 people signing up. Nearly half of the people who signed up for the challenge regularly ate animal products with many confirming that they continued with a vegan diet after January was over.

Wellness is also something that has become a real focus in western culture over the past few years and a shift towards being more ethical to the environment as well as gentle to ourselves and there can be real benefits of switching to a more balanced diet even if you don't fully commit to veganism, as Brits are becoming more informed, they are feeling more confident to make bold decisions about their way of life.

Stay Positive in a Vegan World

I was a strict vegan for nearly two year before kids, I was very well educated on everything I needed in terms of nutrition and it wasn't a hasty decision especially as this was 10yrs ago and there was far less products available but I just personally found I needed more of a balance and thats a personal decision. I'm a vegetarian who eats a lot of vegan dishes and I think even when meat eaters have a meat-free Monday thats a good step forward and should be supported. I've had negativity from people in the past about "giving up" but what we should be doing is embracing the new trend and supporting it no matter what your diet includes. Being a vegetarian in a Vegan world is fantastic because of how many options there are especially when eating out, it's so easy to get a coconut milk latte on the go and it means so many more sustainable and ethical options which is fantastic to see and is beneficial for all.

A change in everyones lifestyle

Despite only 7% of the population identifying as a vegan more than 50% of UK adults are choosing to adopt more vegan like buying behaviours, according to the Vegan Society. This of course has had a trickle effect on stores who have seen a rise in vegan and ethical food and lifestyle products store.
Many restaurants and cafes have expanded their vegan ranges to cater to the ever-growing demand making it easier than ever before for vegans to enjoy a meal out or on the go. Understanding that plant-based eating isn’t a fad but a lifestyle choice that’s here to stay, more and more businesses are investing in their vegan ranges which really feels like a great move forward.

Do you have a good idea, now is the time to put it into action?

There has been a distinct change in the way British people think about the food they eat in recent years. Thanks to increased awareness and concerns about animal welfare, environmental impacts and personal health, consumer demand for vegan products is only going to rise. If you want to start an ethical, sustainable and profitable business and are passionate about how food is produced and consumed, then a vegan franchise could be just what you’ve been looking for and you can read more about Vegan Franchise https://www.pointfranchise.co.uk/I-354-vegan-franchise/ .

Stay inspired

There is simply so much out there to inspire us daily to make better food and lifestyle choices, from an array of books, blogs and vlogs. I thought I would personal recommend stopping by at Living on Leaves a family vegan lifestyle blog which has some delicious family recipes and ideas. I also loving Veganboo instagram which is a beautiful curated feed of mouthwatering food that will make you want to jump into your phone and eat it all.

Collaboration