Roughly 30 Million People Participated In 'Record-Breaking' Veganuary 2026

Roughly 30 Million People Participated In ‘Record-Breaking’ Veganuary 2026

Veganuary 2026 had an extra four million participants compared to last year's campaign

19th February 2026

2 Minutes Read

Around 30 million people participated in Veganuary 2026.

Each year, Veganuary, the global nonprofit behind the annual campaign of the same name, encourages people to try a plant-based diet for January, and this year’s “record-breaking” month saw roughly 30 million people participate worldwide.

The nonprofit reported particularly “strong participation” from the UK in its Veganuary Workplace Challenge, including from several NHS Trusts. King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust served more than 400 vegan lunches, while Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust hosted a plant-based myth-busting talk.

Celebrities such as Olivia Coleman (Jimpa, The Roses) and Mathew Modine (Stranger Things, Oppenheimer) backed this year’s campaign and shared recipes and encouragement with participants. Meanwhile, brands and supermarkets from Aldi to La Vie launched a selection of new and returning vegan products.

“Millions of people chose kindness this January – for themselves, for animals and for the planet,” said Wendy Mathews, the CEO of Veganuary. “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.”

Veganuary used 12 nationally representative surveys to calculate participation, and most of its figures came from YouGov. The total sample size was 13,529 adults.

‘The story worth telling is the one unfolding in the kitchens’

Photo shows someone's hands as the season chopped vegetables and herbs in a baking tray — Adobe Stock Many of those who participated in previous Veganuary campaigns said they would continue eating plant-based

Veganuary previously reported that more than a third of British people planned to take part in this year’s campaign. Roughly 25.8 million people participated last year, and more than 80 percent said that they would continue with a plant-based diet.

“There’s been plenty of talk in the media about interest in vegan fading,” said Mathews. “But the story worth telling is the one unfolding in kitchens, not in the comment section.”