Veganism on the rise
It seems everyone is becoming vegan, judging by the amount of vegan and free-from products on offer in supermarkets, restaurants, coffee shops and even Greggs, which launched a vegan sausage roll at the beginning of the year.
The preference for vegan, vegetarian, or ‘plant-based’ products has been driven by an increased awareness of what goes into the food we eat. This has prompted many brands to launch their own free-from or vegan ranges, including Müller yoghurts, Cathedral City Cheddar and Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream, among others.
The annual “Veganuary” campaign this year is said to have seen a record 250,000 people sign up worldwide. UK consumers flocked to supermarkets and convenience stores to stock up on free-from, vegan and vegetarian-friendly foods to get them through the month – and many have continued into February and beyond.
All this means retailers need to review their ranges and make sure they are catering to consumers with vegan or vegetarian diets. Almost all categories have a free-from alternative, including dairy-free milk, yoghurt, cheese and spreads and meat-free options like Quorn products and bean burgers.



