What’s The Significance Of World Vegan Day?

For many, the first day of November marks the beginning of the festive season – but for others, it’s important for another reason. Each year, 1 November marks World Vegan Day, a global event designed to bring plant-based eating into the spotlight. This focus on veganism continues throughout November, which is now known as World Vegan Month. But where did the tradition come from?

World Vegan Day: Everything You Need To Know

Who Created World Vegan Day?

Veganism has come into the mainstream over the past decade, but the seeds for the movement were being sewn many years before. The Vegan Society was founded back in 1944, after Donald Watson organised a London meeting of six like-minded ‘non-dairy vegetarians’, who wanted to establish a new name for themselves, eventually settling on vegan (rejected words included ‘dairyban’ and ‘benevore’. 

The society quickly gained traction, and in 1994 chair Louise Wallis founded World Vegan Day to celebrate the group’s 50th anniversary. Her aim was not only to highlight the continued importance of a vegan association, but also to celebrate the fact that ‘vegan’ had found its way into the English language. This was later extended to World Vegan Week, and eventually World Vegan Month.

Why Is World Vegan Day Celebrated?

World Vegan Day is all about spreading awareness around the benefits of a vegan diet – for humans, animals and the planet. It’s an opportunity for vegans to celebrate their lifestyle, but also encourage others to learn more about veganism and perhaps incorporate some of its elements into their own lives. 

What Are The Benefits Of Veganism?

• A vegan diet has many health benefits for humans, including lowered blood pressure and cholesterol, and a reduced risk of heart disease.
• Some studies suggest going plant-based reduces the damage to the environment caused by food production. Research from 2023, for instance, found that vegan diets resulted in 75 percent less climate-heating emissions, water pollution and land use than diets in which more than 100g of meat was eaten each day.
• Many choose to go vegan for animal rights purposes.

How Many People Are Vegan In The UK?

Veganism is still on the rise. As of 2024, there are an estimated 2.5 million vegans in the UK (which is 4.7 percent of the population) – an increase of 1.1 million since 2023. 

Purezza

How To Mark World Vegan Day

There are many ways to get involved. These include:

• Trying out a new vegan restaurant – we’ve rounded up the best in London here, from the stylish Holy Carrot in Knightsbridge to plant-based pizza hotspot Purezza.
• Have a go at some new vegan recipes. How about Acme Fire Cult’s famous roast leeks, a hearty Sri Lankan-inspired curry or this tahini fudge recipe from the Hemsley sisters?
• Join The Vegan Society’s 30-day pledge, which involves cutting out all animal products for the month of November. Check out its app for some helpful tips and recipes.
• Check out The Vegan Society’s events page, which highlights the festivals and markets popping up across the country this month.