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Veganuary 2020 has hit record numbers – with sign-ups reaching 399,000 so far – and one day still to go.
The global organization, which encourages people to try vegan in January and beyond – had a goal of 350,000 sign-ups for this year – which it has surpassed.
This number reflects the huge scale of the initiative – which won celebrity support from animal advocates including Joaquin Phoenix and aired the UK’s first vegan TV advert.
‘Momentous figure’
Posting about the number online, Veganuary wrote: “Will you be our 400,000th sign-up? Can you believe how close we are to hitting this momentous figure!?
“Come on we can do it. Do you have a friend or family member that is considering giving Veganuary a go after seeing you on your journey?
“It’s not too late for them to join us! You can try vegan with us at any time of the year. TAG them in the comments below.?”
Vegan pledge success
Veganuary has seen significant increases in sign-ups year-on-year, since its first outing in 2014.
That year, more than 3,000 people took part. Since then, participation has skyrocketed, with 12,800 signing up in 2015, 23,000 in 2016, almost 60,000 in 2017, 168,500 in 2018, and 250, 310 in 2019.
Because of the initiative, many retailers and eateries now launch vegan options in January, in a bid to capitalize on demand – notably Greggs’ vegan sausage roll in 2019. A slew of options followed this year, including a plant-based burger from KFC.