Veganuary 2023 has broken all previous records with more registered participants than ever, with 706,965 people officially signing up for the vegan diet challenge from nearly every country in the world, reports the organisation.
At the beginning of the month, the international charity announced that one person every 2.4 seconds was signing up for the diet challenge.
“The impact our food choices have on the planet is getting harder to ignore”
With this year’s participation figures, Veganuary can joyously celebrate the 10th year of its global campaign, supported by actress Lucy Watson and famous French restaurateur Alexis Gauthier who became official Ambassadors for the charity this year.
Participation could be significantly larger
According to Veganuary, several studies have suggested that the total participation in the challenge is significantly larger than the number of registered people through Veganuary’s website.
In a YouGov survey conducted this year, 4% of UK respondents reported they were practising Veganuary during January 2023. Another 2022 YouGov poll found that 9% of Brits had participated in Veganuary since the campaign began in January 2014.
“These figures provide an exciting glimpse into the broader public participation in Veganuary and its influence as a social movement,” says the charity.
894 million views on TikTok
On social media, the campaign’s presence continues to grow worldwide. On TikTok, Veganuary had 894 million views, and over 300 million people engaged with its international social media channels this January.
For this year’s campaign, the charity launched two new platforms for public engagement; a 31-day YouTube series providing helpful tips and advice, and a weekly podcast series with some ambassadors and other celebrities as guests.
Reflecting on the success of the 2023 campaign, Veganuary’s Head of Communications, Toni Vernelli, said: “The impact our food choices have on the planet is getting harder to ignore, and it’s very inspiring to see so many people around the world starting the new year by taking action. Attitudes towards veganism are changing, and Veganuary’s just-give-it-a-go-for-a-month-and-see-what-you-think approach has undoubtedly played an instrumental role in this shift, offering a non-judgmental way for businesses and individuals alike to explore a transition towards plant-based.”
Veganuary, which has offices and implements campaigns worldwide, announced plans to expand to more than ten countries by 2027.
