Are vegans increasing or decreasing?

December 14, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2025 Market.biz report, the global plant-based diet market is projected to reach $170.7 billion by 2032, highlighting a strong commercial interest in plant-based eating. Given these market signals, the question remains: are vegans increasing or decreasing, or is the reality far more complex?

Quick Summary

The vegan population is steadily increasing, although flexitarianism is driving the broader plant-based market expansion. Health, ethical concerns, and evolving product availability influence these shifting global dietary patterns.

Key Points

Overall Increase: Global population figures show a consistent increase in the number of people identifying as vegan, though from a relatively small base.
Flexitarianism is a Major Driver: The broader plant-based market is primarily expanding due to flexitarians, who are reducing but not eliminating animal products.
Market Growth is Strong: The plant-based food market is experiencing explosive growth, projected to exceed $46 billion by 2033, indicating high consumer demand beyond strict vegans.
Motivations Vary: People are turning to vegan or plant-based diets for a range of reasons, including personal health, environmental concerns, and animal welfare.
Challenges Include Cost and Taste: Barriers to wider adoption include the perceived high cost of some plant-based alternatives and resistance to new tastes.
Younger Generations Lead the Way: Millennials and Gen Z are more likely than older generations to adopt vegan or plant-based diets, pointing to a long-term demographic shift.

The Nuanced Answer: Increasing, but with Caveats

Determining with absolute precision whether vegans are increasing or decreasing is challenging due to inconsistent survey methodologies and the fluid nature of dietary habits. However, the overwhelming consensus from market data and population surveys points toward a clear upward trend in the number of individuals identifying as vegan. This growth is notable, but it is often overshadowed by the meteoric rise of the flexitarian movement—people reducing their meat and dairy intake without committing to full veganism. This nuance is critical to understanding the current state of plant-based eating.

Population Growth and Market Trends

While vegans may still represent a small percentage of the total population in many regions (around 1-4% in the US and Europe), the sheer increase in absolute numbers is significant. For example, studies in the UK showed the number of vegans grew by 1.1 million between 2023 and 2024, demonstrating consistent, if sometimes uneven, growth. This rise is mirrored by a massive expansion in the plant-based food market, which is expected to more than double between 2024 and 2033. This market growth is a direct response to consumer demand, indicating that even those not fully committed to a vegan lifestyle are purchasing vegan products.

The Rise of the Flexitarian

The key driver of the plant-based market is not just committed vegans but a much larger group of flexitarians. For instance, a 2025 ADM report revealed that 46% of global consumers identify as flexitarian. These individuals enjoy the increasing variety of vegan products, making it easier for them to substitute animal products for health, environmental, or ethical reasons without a permanent lifestyle change. This trend is particularly prevalent among younger generations like Gen Z and Millennials. The growth of flexitarianism normalizes plant-based options, indirectly supporting and expanding the infrastructure for full-time vegans.

Key Motivations Behind the Shift

Several factors continue to fuel the growing interest in plant-based eating:

Health and Wellness: Many individuals adopt a vegan or plant-based diet to improve their health. Research links plant-based diets to a lower risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.
Environmental Concerns: The documented impact of animal agriculture on climate change, land use, and resource consumption is a major motivator. Many see a shift toward plant-based diets as a significant way to reduce their carbon footprint.
Animal Welfare: Increased awareness of factory farming practices drives many to adopt a cruelty-free diet. Ethical concerns remain a foundational motivation for core vegan advocates.
Social and Digital Influence: Social media platforms and documentaries have brought the benefits and ethics of veganism into the mainstream, influencing new audiences and making the lifestyle more visible and accessible.

Challenges and Potential Plateaus

Despite the growth, the movement faces challenges that could temper its speed or lead to some individuals reverting to omnivorous diets. Reports indicate a significant number of ex-vegans, sometimes as high as 84% in the first year. Key barriers include:

Cost: Some plant-based alternatives can be more expensive than their animal-based counterparts, especially during economic downturns.
Taste and Familiarity: Taste perception remains a hurdle for many consumers transitioning away from meat and dairy, though ongoing product innovation is closing this gap.
Social Pressure: Navigating social situations, eating out with non-vegan friends and family, and the stigma some perceive can be a significant challenge for new vegans.
Nutrient Concerns: Poorly planned vegan diets can lead to nutrient deficiencies (e.g., B12, iron), which is a legitimate health concern if not properly managed with fortification or supplements.

A Global Perspective on Vegan Trends

The growth of veganism is not uniform across the world, with significant regional variations influenced by culture, availability, and economic factors. For example, India has a long-standing tradition of vegetarianism and boasts one of the highest percentages of vegans. In contrast, some Western countries show a high growth rate but from a smaller base, while others, particularly in Northern Europe, have some of the highest adoption rates per capita. The global picture is a mosaic of different paces and motivations.

Comparison: Veganism vs. Flexitarianism


Feature	Veganism (Strict)	Flexitarianism (Partial)
Dietary Commitment	Eliminates all animal products permanently.	Reduces animal product consumption periodically.
Market Impact	Drives demand for dedicated vegan products and labels.	Drives the broad expansion of plant-based alternatives and options.
Primary Motivation	Ethical/Animal Welfare often central; also health and environmental.	Health and environmental concerns frequently primary; animal welfare secondary.
Societal Integration	May face social challenges and require more planning.	Easier social integration due to dietary flexibility.
Demographics	Younger adults (Gen Z, Millennials) are disproportionately represented.	Widespread across all generations, including older demographics focused on health.

Plant-Based Market Growth Areas

The expanding plant-based market shows where consumer demand is strongest, driven by both vegans and flexitarians. Key areas of growth include:

Dairy Alternatives: Plant-based milks like oat, almond, and soy are some of the most mature and rapidly growing categories.
Meat Substitutes: Innovation in products like burgers, sausages, and chicken alternatives continues to drive growth, especially among flexitarians.
Snacks and Convenience Foods: An increasing variety of vegan snacks and ready-to-eat meals makes plant-based eating more convenient for everyone.
Veganuary: Events like Veganuary consistently see record sign-ups, driving mainstream interest and trial of vegan products every January.

Conclusion: A Growth Trend with Growing Pains

So, are vegans increasing or decreasing? The data supports the conclusion that the number of vegans is indeed increasing globally, driven by a younger, more conscious demographic and facilitated by a more available and diverse plant-based market. However, the most significant growth is happening in the wider plant-based movement, fueled by flexitarians who are reducing, not eliminating, animal products. While challenges like cost and taste preferences exist, the increasing innovation and mainstream acceptance of plant-based options suggest that the overall trend towards more plant-centric diets will continue to climb, even if the strict vegan population experiences plateaus or setbacks along the way. Read more about the drivers of veganism.

Frequently Asked Questions

While some media outlets have portrayed veganism as a fading trend, statistical data shows it is a growing movement. The plant-based market continues to expand, and the number of individuals identifying as vegan has increased, especially among younger demographics.

No, a significant portion of the growth in the plant-based food market is driven by flexitarians—people who are reducing their consumption of animal products. The vast availability of plant-based options caters to both strict vegans and a much larger consumer base seeking to make healthier or more sustainable choices.

According to various reports, India often shows a high percentage of its population following vegetarian and vegan diets, driven by cultural and religious influences. Other countries with notable vegan populations include Israel and Germany.

Common reasons for reverting from a vegan diet include difficulties with taste and a need for more variety, social pressures, the high cost of certain products, and concerns about potential nutrient deficiencies if the diet is not well-planned.

Growing awareness of the health benefits of a plant-based diet (e.g., lower risk of heart disease) and the environmental impact of animal agriculture (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions) are major motivators for individuals reducing or eliminating animal products from their diets.

Flexitarianism is the practice of eating a mostly plant-based diet with the occasional inclusion of meat and dairy. It is distinct from strict veganism but contributes significantly to the growth and mainstreaming of plant-based food options, expanding the market for vegan products.

No, data suggests that the increase in veganism is particularly concentrated among younger age groups, such as Gen Z and Millennials. Older generations are more likely to remain omnivores, although flexitarian habits are seen across a broader demographic.