Veganuary 2023 breaks all previous records

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.

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 per cent of UK respondents reported they were practising Veganuary during January 2023. Another 2022 YouGov poll found that 9 per cent 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.

Veganuary has also been popular on social media as well. 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.”