Veganuary marks 30 million participants worldwide as 2026 campaign hits new high

Veganuary reported a record-breaking year in 2026, with around 30 million people worldwide taking part in its annual January challenge, according to nationally representative surveys commissioned by the organization across multiple countries.

• Veganuary estimated that around 30 million people worldwide took part in the 2026 campaign, based on survey data from 12 countries and population estimates.

• The twelfth edition of the campaign featured expanded retail, foodservice and workplace participation across the UK and internationally.

• Veganuary launched official campaigns in Iceland and Ireland and made its pledge available in Hindi for the first time.

The global non-profit, which encourages people to try vegan for January and beyond, based its 2026 participation estimate on survey research conducted in 12 core campaign countries, alongside population data for each market. Additional US survey work was carried out separately, with the combined results used to calculate the global figure.

The 2026 campaign marked Veganuary’s twelfth year and continued a trajectory that has seen the initiative grow from a small UK-based project into a global movement spanning 20 countries. During January, Veganuary maintained a strong public presence, including high-profile advertising in London and widespread celebrity participation.

A London Underground billboard carrying the message 'Same kindness, now to all kinds' was among the most visible elements of the campaign in the UK. Television presenters Kate Lawler and Kirsty Gallacher publicly took part in the 31-day challenge, while figures including Olivia Colman, Ainsley Harriott and Matthew Modine shared recipes and encouragement with participants through Veganuary’s channels.

Retail and foodservice engagement also expanded during the month. UK restaurant chains including Wagamama, Franco Manca and Wahaca introduced new Veganuary menu items, while independent operators promoted dedicated plant-based menus. Local businesses such as The Queen Inn, Aberglais Inn and East West Pizza reported strong demand for vegan options throughout January.

Supermarkets used Veganuary as a launch platform for new products. Aldi introduced items including salami-style Snackin’ Sticks and No Lamb and Mint Pies and promoted its Veganuary range across more than 1,000 UK stores through its Specialbuys magazine. Morrisons ran Veganuary activity both in-store and online, while M&S added new products including Mushroom No-Meatballs, No Chicken Pieces and Coconut Kefir.

The campaign also extended into workplaces through the Veganuary Workplace Challenge, which saw participation from a range of employers, including NHS Trusts. Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust hosted a myth-busting session for staff, while King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust served more than 400 plant-based lunches during January. ITV participated by offering a vegan-only hot meal every Tuesday throughout the month, working with its catering team.

Private companies including Wild, Logbrand and Sleeping Giant Media also took part, hosting vegan lunches, talks, quizzes and bake sales to encourage employee participation and awareness.

Internationally, Veganuary continued to broaden its reach. Official campaigns launched in Iceland and Ireland in 2026, and the Veganuary pledge became available in Hindi for the first time, extending access to millions of potential participants. The campaign maintained a visible presence across multiple regions, from billboard advertising in Latin America to television takeovers in the USA. In Germany, reports of tofu shortages during January were widely attributed to heightened Veganuary-driven demand.

Veganuary Chief Executive Wendy Matthews said the scale of participation contrasted with recent media narratives questioning the longevity of vegan and plant-based eating. “There’s been plenty of talk in the media about interest in vegan fading. But the story worth telling is the one unfolding in kitchens, not in the comment section,” Matthews said. “Millions of people chose kindness this January for themselves, for animals and for the planet.”

She said the continued growth of the campaign reflected a broader shift in how people approached food choices. “Veganuary is now firmly mainstream and its continued growth is proof of what happens when people around the world put compassion into practice. We think that’s something truly worth celebrating and a powerful sign that conscious food choices are more than a passing trend,” Matthews said.

Veganuary remained free to join, with participants offered access to an online starter kit, a celebrity eCookbook and daily emails providing recipes, meal plans and nutritional guidance. Since the first Veganuary pledge launched in January 2014, the organization reported participation from almost every country worldwide.

Survey data underpinning the 2026 participation estimate was collected by YouGov across France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Switzerland, Chile, the UK, Germany and Ireland, with US data collected separately by Wakefield Research. Each country sample was weighted to reflect nationally representative adult populations, with Veganuary using third-party population sources to calculate global participation figures.

As Veganuary entered its second decade, the organization said the 2026 results reinforced the campaign’s role as a recurring global moment for plant-based eating, rather than a short-lived trend driven by novelty alone.