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For many, January is the month par excellence in which to open and close stages, and even change lifestyles. Whether it is about alcohol, work, love or gastronomy; as is the case of the ‘veganuary’ phenomenon, which encourages society to try a purely plant-based diet from January onwards.
But what exactly is veganuary? It is an initiative that encourages people to practice veganism and renounce animal products with an ethical background. Some of the participants are vegans or vegetarians, but most of the people who choose to try it are carnivores.
The evolution
The movement began in 2013 when British couple Jane Land and Matthew Glover decided to found a vegan campaign that signed up more than 3,000 people in its first year. By 2017, that number had skyrocketed to 50,000 people, and continued to rise until 2023 with 706,900 people from almost every country in the world.
Veganuary now even counts celebrities such as Joaquin Phoenix, Paul McCartney, Chris Packham, Alicia Silverstone as ambassadors. It has also become a viral sensation with countless videos archived under the hashtag #Veganuary on TikTok on the internet; while in real life that influence is embodied in special Veganuary menus at restaurants such as Wagamama, Bella Italia, Wahaca and PizzaExpress.
