How many vegetarians and vegans are in the UK in 2024?

With many brands catering to plant-based lifestyles, adopting a meat-free diet has become much easier and accessible for Brits. This doesn’t have to be a strain on your bank account either, with plenty of affordable options available. We carried out our annual survey to investigate the diet habits and intentions of Brits this year and find out how many vegetarians and vegans are in the UK.

Vegans and vegetarians in the UK: Key statistics

• In 2024, there are an estimated 2.5 million vegans in the UK, 4.7% of the adult population.
• The number of vegans in the UK has risen by an estimated 1.1 million between 2023 and 2024.
• In 2024, there are 3.1 million vegetarians in the UK, making up 5.8% of the population.
• There are around 3 million pescatarians in the UK, equating to 5.7% of the population.
• Currently, 16% of the UK population follows a meat-free diet (8.6 million people).
• 6.4 million Brits plan to adopt a meat-free diet in 2024 – if they do, the UK could have 15 million people eating meat-free by 2025.
• Over half of generation Z (52%) could be eating a meat-free diet by 2025.

How many vegans are there in the UK?

In 2024, there are around 2.5 million vegans in the UK, 4.7% of the population, an increase from 1.4 million vegans (2.5%) in 2023. The number of vegans in the UK has risen by 1.1 million between 2023 and 2024, indicating a growing trend towards veganism.

How many vegetarians are there in the UK?

Currently, the UK has approximately 3.1 million vegetarians, which is 5.75% of the population. This number represents a slight decrease from 3.4 million (6.5%) in 2023, suggesting a small reduction in the vegetarian population.

However, the number of vegans and pescatarians has increased, so some vegetarians might have adopted one of these diets.

How many pescatarians are there in the UK?

There are around 3 million pescatarians in the UK, making up 5.7% of the adult population. This number is up from 2.4 million (4.5%) in 2023, showing an increase in the popularity of the pescatarian diet.

How many people follow a meat-free diet in the UK?

Overall, 16% of the UK population follows a meat-free diet in 2024, which equates to around 8.6 million people. This has increased by around 20% since the start of 2023, when 7.2 million people were following a meat-free diet.

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How many people plan to give up meat in 2024?

In 2024, just under 6.4 million people plan to adopt a form of meat-free diet. This includes 2.4 million people (4.5%) in the UK who plan to become vegetarians, 2 million (3.8%) who intend to follow a vegan diet, and 1.97 million (3.7%) who are considering adopting a pescatarian diet.

Compared to the 8.6 million planning to go meat-free in 2023, the number of people planning to adopt a meat-free diet has decreased by around 2.2 million.

It is unlikely that everyone will stick to their intentions, but if everyone who planned to cut meat out did so, the UK would have a total of 15 million meat-free citizens at the beginning of 2025, which is 28% of the adult population.

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Which generation has the most vegetarians and vegans?

The younger generations, particularly generation Z and millennials, are leading the way in adopting meat-free diets, both in current practice and future intentions. This trend progressively decreases with older generations, with the silent generation showing the least interest in giving up meat.

This shift across generations could be influenced by increased awareness of health, environmental concerns, and animal welfare among younger people. As the younger generations age, the overall proportion of the UK population following meat-free diets is likely to increase.

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Generation Z

More than a quarter of generation Z (26%) is currently following a meat-free diet, including 9% vegetarians, 9% vegans, and 8% pescatarians. This generation leads in adopting plant-based diets, reflecting a strong trend towards vegetarianism, veganism, and pescatarianism among the youngest adults.

They also have the highest intentions to adopt a meat-free diet, with a further quarter (26%) planning to start a meat-free diet in 2024. If this does happen, more than half of generation Z (52%) will be meat-free.

Millenials

Millennials follow closely behind generation Z, with over 1 in 5 (22%) currently eating a meat-free diet. This includes 7% vegetarians, 8% vegans, and 6.5% pescatarians. A further 17% of millennials are considering a shift to meat-free diets in 2024, adding up to a possible total of 39% by 2025.

Generation X

Generation X sits somewhere in the middle when it comes to meat-free diets, with 14% currently following one. 12% also plan to start eating meat-free this year, adding up to a total of just over a quarter (24%) who could be meat-free by 2025.

Baby boomers

Baby boomers are less likely to cut meat out of their diets, with around 1 in 10 (12%) following any type of meat-free diet. Very few members of this generation are considering adopting a meat-free lifestyle in the next 12 months, at just 5%, suggesting that there is likely to be little change in the number of meat eaters in the older generations.

Silent generation

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the silent generation shows the least inclination towards meat-free diets, with only 4% currently following one. There isn’t much motivation to stop eating meat among this generation either, with only 2% expressing an intention to go vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian in 2025.

Which region has the most vegetarians and vegans?

London leads the way in meat-free diets, with 1 in 5 residents (21%) currently identifying as a vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian. A further 18% are also hoping to go meat-free in 2024, which means that just under 2 in 5 Londoners (39%) could be in this group by 2025.

At the other end of the spectrum, the South West has the lowest number of vegans, vegetarians and pescatarians, with just 1 in 10 (11%) eating these diets. In terms of intentions for 2024, Scottish residents are least likely to go meat-free, with just 6% stating a plan to do so.

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Matt Mckenna
UK communications managerT: +44 20 8191 8806