Across Britain, people are spending more money on vegan products, and plant-based diets are trending online.
With major supermarkets catching on and stocking up on vegan-friendly food - BBC News asks what's behind the rise?
The number of vegans is on the up
A vegan diet involves cutting out animal products like meat, fish, dairy and eggs.
According to the latest research by the Vegan Society, conducted in 2018, there are around 600,000 vegans in Great Britain.
-
600,000According to a Vegan Society survey of 2,000 people in 2018
-
£740mEstimated sales of meat-free foods in 2018
-
87%Most Veganuary participants in 2019 were female
It's estimated that this is up from 150,000 in 2006, and that there are twice as many women than men who are vegan.
Around 360,000 people also describe themselves as lifestyle vegans, who commit to only using or buying cosmetics and clothes free from animal products, for example.
Supermarkets are staying on-trend
Supermarket chains in the UK are stocking more vegan options to keep up with consumers' food choices.
In 2018 Waitrose introduced a dedicated vegan section in more than 130 shops, while Iceland reported that sales of its plant-based food have risen by 10% over the last year.
And a range of fast-food companies, from Greggs to McDonalds and Burger King to KFC, have launched, or announced, vegan options for the UK.
The UK market for meat-free foods was reportedly worth £740m in 2018, according to market researchers Mintel, up from £539m only three years ago.
Interest in vegetarian and vegan products shows no sign of slowing down, as retail sales are expected to increase to £658m by 2021.
Do influencers influence what we eat?
Social media has had a big part to play in the rise of the plant-based lifestyle.
Celebrities like Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Ellen DeGeneres are some of the well-known figures who don't eat animal products, while #vegan has more than 87 million posts listed on Instagram.
Read more: - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44488051
source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44488051
#LMT #Nottingham #Manchester #Northampton #Trafford #Care #ElderlyCare #Healthcare #HomeCare