How Veganuary is converting meat eaters for life
Does a month-long plant-based challenge really have the power to reshape our diets for good? That’s the question on our lips as Veganuary, a global campaign which encourages people to eat a plant-based diet for the month of January, kickstarts for 2025.
While some people who try ditching meat for a month swiftly return to their normal eating habits, new research from the University of Exeter suggests that taking part in Veganuary leads to lasting changes – not just in our diets but in how we view meat, and ourselves, too.
What is Veganuary?
As a brief reminder, every January millions of people take part in Veganuary – a campaign that invites people to try veganism for a month. It was launched back in 2014 by Jane Land and Matthew Glover, and inspired by the success of Movember.
Last year, a whopping 25 million people gave up animal products during January.
Does Veganuary change long-term eating habits?
A growing body of research suggests that trying Veganuary may leave a lasting impression on both people’s eating habits and attitudes toward meat.
‘Normally, the idea is to educate people first to change their attitudes, and hopefully, they end up changing their behaviour,’ Natalia Lawrence, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Exeter told The Guardian. ‘But if you persuade people to change their behaviour for a month, it seems that these things follow.’
The team at the University of Exeter have independently conducted a number of studies on people taking part in Veganuary. Their 2022 study, published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, found that, on average, people report liking meat less (after taking part in Veganuary), with some even finding it ‘disgusting’.
This aligns with their earlier research, which showed that 74% of vegetarians and 15% of flexitarians find meat disgusting. While another study (currently under peer review) delves deeper into this phenomenon of ‘meat disgust’ – suggesting that some individuals (primarily vegetarians) feel the same way about eating meat as meat-eaters feel toward the idea of eating faeces, or human or dog flesh.
Adding to this, their survey of 46 Veganuary participants, published in the scientific journal Appetite last year, found they were less likely to say they identified as a ‘meat-eater’.
‘We know that identity strongly shapes food choices, so by encouraging participants to view themselves as individuals who reduce or avoid meat, Veganuary may pave the way for lasting, positive changes in dietary habits,’ PhD researcher Sophie Hearn said.
Is Veganuary the key to reducing meat consumption for good?
By encouraging participants to try a plant-based diet, this research shows it fosters lasting changes in how people view themselves, their diets, and their relationship with meat.
The University of Exeter also identified some of the difficulties that can hinder successful participation in Veganuary. Including; navigating food choices in social settings, a lack of plant-based options when eating out, missing non-vegan foods, and the perceived inconvenience of plant-based cooking.
Toni Vernelli, Veganuary’s head of communications, said the organisation was pleased to see that Exeter’s research backed up its own participant surveys.
‘It’s gratifying to see Exeter’s research findings echo what we see every year in our participant surveys. At the end of their Veganuary pledge, more than 80% of participants tell us they plan to permanently reduce their meat and dairy consumption by at least 50%. This finding has been consistent for the past five years. Our participants report the same top challenges too – dealing with friends and family and eating out. We’re very excited to support Exeter University with new research investigating protocols for tackling these barriers.’
The bottom line
While Veganuary is just a one-month challenge, it appears its impact on meat consumption can last much, much longer.
By encouraging participants to try a plant-based diet, evidence suggests it has the potential to spark lasting changes in how people view meat, their diets and themselves – proving that small dietary changes really can lead to long-term changes, for both your health and the environment – one meal at a time.
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