Veganuary 2025 Hits Record 25.8 Million People, Inspires V-March Campaign in China
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In its 11th year, participation numbers for Veganuary reached a record-breaking 25.8 million globally. This March, a similar campaign inspired by the monthlong challenge will debut in China.
Participation in Veganuary broke records again in 2025, with around 25.8 million people pledging to ditch meat, dairy and eggs this January.
While the organisation has official campaigns in 20 countries, these figures come from YouGov surveys in 11 of its core countries (across Europe and the Americas), and represent a 3% uptick in participation from the 2024 campaign.
Veganuary arrived at the number by assessing the YouGov polls (which involved around 15,500 people) and current population estimates for each of the nations, noting that it no longer measures participation by the number of email signups “as many people take part without officially registering through the website”.
Continuing this momentum, the organisation has inspired the launch of a similar campaign to encourage plant-based eating in China.
Multi-sector support key to Veganuary’s success

Since it was introduced in 2014, Veganuary has become a cultural phenomenon, attracting more and more people every year. Its success has been built on collaborations with celebrities and influencers who have spread the word far and wide – this year’s partners included actor Woody Harrelson, chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, The Great British Bake Off contestant Freya Cox, and social media star Giuseppe Federici.
The campaign has benefitted from some policy support too. For example, the City of West Hollywood voted in favour of a resolution to promote Veganuary to residents, staff, and businesses, and Mayor Chelsea Lee Byers announced a Veganuary proclamation in a council meeting yesterday.
Also in the US, over 40 employers in media, education, solar, and manufacturing joined the Veganuary Workplace Challenge. And more than 50 restaurants celebrated Veganuary in New York City alone.
Brands and retailers, meanwhile, came up with new products to appease the demand for vegan food, whether in the form of new ice cream flavours from Salt & Straw, tofu innovations from Squeaky Bean and Cauldron Foods in the UK, or 28 meat-free products from Lidl GB.
The continued support from businesses, celebrities and policymakers is notable, given that plant-based meat has become embroiled in a culture war, thanks in part to its association with ultra-processed foods and misinformation campaigns from Big Meat.
“While there is some debate over the health aspects of plant-based meat, the environmental benefits of plant-based protein are undeniable, and this is what is drawing more and more people to choosing plant-based foods as part of their effort to reduce their climate impact,” Veganuary’s head of policy and communications, Toni Vernelli, told Green Queen ahead of this year’s campaign.
“We’re also seeing more interest in whole food plant-based cooking,” she added, which was highlighted in recipes in its 2025 Celebrity eCookbook. “These offer the best of both worlds – health and environmental benefits, plus great flavour and texture to ensure they are satisfying as well as doing good.”
Veganuary inspires China vegan challenge in March
Veganuary has been expanding from its January-only presence recently, after finding evidence of long-term change in participants’ diets. Six months after the 2024 campaign, 27% of participants remained fully vegan, while 54% were eating half as much meat and dairy as they were before the challenge. Only 3% of people said it had no impact on their long-term choices.
So in April, Veganuary announced a host of mini-campaigns to complement its January flagship, starting with a Choose Chicken-Free Week, followed by Choose Fish-Free Week, BBQ Month, and Choose Dairy-Free Week.
Now, the monthlong concept is heading to China with Mangchun Sanyue (Vegan Spring March or V-March), a campaign developed by the China Vegan Society and inspired by Veganuary. The 31-day drive is identical to the January challenge, but the first month of the year isn’t an ideal season for lifestyle changes for everybody.
Lunar New Year falls between late January and early February (this year, it occurred on January 29). To accommodate the Chinese calendar, the team at the China Vegan Society came up with V-March as a twist on Veganuary.
Over 50 businesses have already committed to participating in the March campaign by launching or promoting plant-based products, and many more are expected to join.
“Inspired by the amazing transformative power Veganuary has shown in changing people’s lifestyle for the better, we hope V-March will open up opportunities for people in China and others of Asian descent around the globe who observe the lunar New Year,” said Jian Yi, founder and CEO of the China Vegan Society.
Alternative proteins are on the rise in the East Asian nation, with its population eating more protein per capita than Americans now, and mostly from plants. Both national and local governments are promoting plant-based and novel foods, with Beijing now home to the first cultivated meat and fermented protein R&D centre. And a 2024 survey suggests that when Chinese consumers are informed of the benefits of a vegan diet, 98% say they’ll eat more of these foods.
“China boasts extraordinary plant-centred culinary traditions. We have more reasons than ever to celebrate those traditions amid all the health, ecological, and ethical crises we are struggling with today,” said Yi.
This story was updated to clarify that the V-March campaign is developed by the China Vegan Society.