New record set for Veganuary with over 700,000 sign-ups for 2023
In its 10th year, Veganuary has broken all previous records in 2023, marking 706,965 sign-ups from nearly every country in the world.
The only countries missing from the official list of participants this year were Vatican City and North Korea.
The total number of people taking part this year however is expected to include more than just those who registered through Veganuary’s website. According to a YouGov survey conducted in January 2023, 4% of UK respondents said they participated in Veganuary this year. A poll on the same site from 2022 also revealed nearly 10% of Britons had taken part in the campaign since it started in January 2014.
Since then, Veganuary has increased its global presence, opening offices in Germany, the US and Chile in 2019, Argentina and Brazil in 2020 and in India in 2021. The campaign is also run in Italy, France, Switzerland, South Africa, Australia, Singapore and Mexico in collaboration with local organisations. The charity hopes to expand into 10 more countries by 2027.
The campaign’s social media presence also grew this year, with #Veganuary having been viewed on TikTok nearly 900 million times, while over 300 million people were said to have engaged with Veganuary’s international social media channels throughout the month.
Veganuary often sees many celebrities supporting the campaign. For the 2023 edition, participants included TV personality Peter Andre, actors Diane Morgan and Alexandra Mardell. French chef Alexis Gauthier also became an official Ambassador for the organisation.
To run alongside this year’s campaign, the charity launched a month-long YouTube series providing tips and advice around vegan diets and food in general, as well as a podcast series featuring guests that included Gauthier, actor Danny Hatchard and plant-based food writer Ella Mills.
Commenting on 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.”
