New research has found that Covid-19 has affected food consumption, with nearly a third of people eating more vegan food due to the pandemic.
That is according to a survey of former Veganuary participants, which has revealed that 32 per cent are eating more vegan food as a result of Covid-19, seven per cent are eating less, and 61 per cent said their consumption was unchanged.
More than 10,000 people responded to the e-survey, which was conducted by Veganuary between July-August 2020, with respondents primarily from the UK, US, Germany and Latin America – the four main regions the charity works in. The survey was designed to discover if Covid-19 has made it more or less likely that people would continue to eat vegan food after completing Veganuary.
Of the 32 per cent who are eating more vegan food due to Covid-19, 73 per cent said it was to be healthier, 43 per cent because they had more time to cook, and 41 per cent due to the link between animal agriculture and pandemics. respondents could choose multiple reasons from a list of five, which also included vegan foods are cheaper (11 per cent) and animal products were sold out in the shop (one per cent).
The small number of people eating less vegan food due to Covid-19 cited having more meals with family (46 per cent), craving comfort foods (47 per cent), and difficulty getting vegan products (46 per cent) as the main reasons.
“Although the Covid-19 pandemic has caused much heartbreak and hardship, these results offer hope that we will embrace this opportunity to change and build a better future,” commented Toni Vernelli, Head of Communications at Veganuary. “Choosing a plant-based diet is one positive step each of us can take to protect our health and our planet, as well as help prevent future pandemics. And you can get started today with Veganuary’s free support – sign-up at veganuary.com.”
