Forget Veganuary, one in four Brits has pledged to stay Vegan for the entire year, and new research shows that chocolate, roast chicken, bacon, cheese sarnie and a fry-up are the top five food they miss the most.
A quarter (23 per cent) of Brits who took part in Veganuary are pledging to continue following the diet for the rest of the Year. According to research by vegan and free-from-chocolate brand NOMO, four in ten (39 per cent) really enjoyed the vegan lifestyle, while 37 per cent admitted that even though it was hard at first, it got easier throughout the month.
Two-thirds (63 per cent) decided to cut out dairy and meat to be healthier, whilst a third (30 per cent) decided to give it a go after seeing the range of vegan alternatives on the market.
Being kinder to the planet and animals (37 per cent), being mindful about their food consumption (31 per cent), saving money (20 per cent), and because their partner wanted to (12 per cent) were other top reasons for making the switch.
The study was commissioned by NOMO to mark the launch of ‘Flexi-Feb’, a month-long campaign encouraging Brits to adopt vegan substitutes to help satisfy cravings and reduce the amount of meat and dairy they are consuming.
It comes as the research revealed the things that British vegans miss the most, with chocolate (36 per cent) and roast chicken (32 per cent) topping the chart.
A bacon sarnie (29 per cent), a cheese toastie (26 per cent), a full fry-up (25 per cent) and toast with real butter (23 per cent) also made the list, alongside burgers (21 per cent), ice cream (20 per cent), kebabs (14 per cent) and garlic bread (13 per cent).
One in five (20 per cent) missed a cup of tea with real milk the most, while Yorkshire puddings were on the mind of a sixth (14 per cent).
The struggle to sustain a vegan diet is clear, as two-thirds (66 per cent) admit that they have attempted to eat a vegan diet previously, with Brits giving it a go an average of four times.
Nine months is the average time people stuck to a vegan diet. However, craving favourite foods (59 per cent), being bored (45 per cent), and lack of willpower (29 per cent) were the main reasons for giving it up.
Not knowing what to cook (40 per cent), finding vegan food that tastes nice (31 per cent), not knowing the best vegan alternatives to have (29 per cent) and working out what I can and can’t eat (28 per cent) were also reasons for breaking the diet.
Jac Tyrrell, Brand Manager for NOMO, said, “Flexi-Feb is all about encouraging people to extend Veganuary whilst welcoming new people to the fold who might want to trial a vegan diet without going all the way. The research shows how difficult it can be to commit to a fully vegan lifestyle – but with the amazing choice of plant-based ranges available, there has never been a better time to try phasing out meat and dairy by introducing vegan substitutes.”
As many as half (49 per cent) agree that being able to find delicious vegan alternatives for their favourite food would make it easier to have a plant-based diet.
Jac continued, “Chocolate tops the list of foods consumers are worried that they’d miss most if they went vegan – but they honestly shouldn’t. Our award-winning range offers the best flavours and formats to ensure everyone enjoys the taste of great chocolate.”
Women’s footballer and Euro 2022 winner Ella Toone who is backing Flexi-Feb, said, “I’m pleased to have partnered with NOMO on its Flexi-Feb campaign. During the Euros, I was used as a sub for most of the tournament, and I was lucky to contribute in scoring in the final; having that impact was amazing. I made different kinds of substitutes off the pitch too by being a flexi-eater – adopting a range of vegan alternatives to my diet during the Euros definitely helped my performance”.
Of the one in four (23 per cent) that are going to continue eating a vegan diet, the main reason for carrying on is feeling healthier (52 per cent), losing weight (36 per cent) and having a clearer conscience about their impact on animal welfare (31 per cent) and climate change (28 per cent).
A quarter (22 per cent) want to continue because they have more energy and feel happier (14 per cent).
As part of the month, NOMO has partnered with Change Please coffee, an award-winning social enterprise which aims to end homelessness by selling great-tasting coffee.
Change Please will hand out a free bar of NOMO for the first 200 plant-based coffee purchased in each of its 12 sites on the 13th, 14th and 15th of February to encourage plant-based choices that taste just as good – if not better – than their dairy counterparts.
THE TOP 25 FOODS THAT BRITISH VEGANS MISS THE MOST
- Chocolate 36%
- Roast Chicken 32%
- Bacon sarnie 29%
- Cheese toastie 26%
- Full fry up 25%
- Toast with real butter 23%
- Cheesy pizza 23%
- A juicy burger 21%
- Cheese and biscuits 20%
- Ice cream 20%
- Chocolate cake 19%
- Sausage and mash 19%
- Tea with real milk 19%
- Scrambled eggs on toast 18%
- Sausage sarnie 17%
- Chocolate biscuits 16%
- Spag bol with beef 16%
- Slow roast lamb 14%
- Late night kebabs 14%
- Yorkshire pudding 14%
- Garlic bread 13%
- Ham sandwich 12%
- Tuna mayonnaise 11%
- Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs 9%
- Jelly sweets 9%
Research of 2,000 UK-based adults commissioned by NOMO and conducted by Perspectus Global in January 2023.
NOMO is available from Tesco, Waitrose, ASDA, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Co-op, Holland & Barrett, Amazon, The Vegan Kind Supermarket, and the NOMO Online store.
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