How Gen Z is Redefining Veganuary for the Long Term
It’s January, so you know what that means – Veganuary is back!
Meat-free diets are more popular than ever in the UK and Gen Z is leading the charge. Over a quarter of them (26%) are already following a meat-free diet, with 9% identifying as vegetarians, another 9% as vegans and 8% as pescatarians. And it doesn’t stop there—last year, another 26% of Gen Z planned to make the switch, meaning over half of this generation could now be embracing a meat-free lifestyle. It’s a massive shift that’s hard to ignore.
A Conscious, Forward-Thinking Generation
Sure, Gen Z is driven by environmental concerns, animal welfare and personal health, but a big part of their reasoning is about staying aligned with modern values and embracing the ethos of a progressive, socially conscious generation.
Being conscious of what you eat, wear and use is seen as aspirational and forward-thinking. That’s why so many young people are also leaning into cruelty-free beauty, pre-loved fashion and refurbished tech.
More Than Just Oat Lattes and Avo Toast
Gen Z get a lot of stick for their trendy green smoothies and avocado toast obsession, but they’ve played a major role in driving the rise of vegan substitutes and the explosion of plant-based restaurants across the UK. 23% of 18–24-year-olds in the UK are already ditching meat. And let’s not forget the millions of others dabbling in vegan nuggets, jackfruit burgers and “milk” that never saw a cow.
Much More than a January Fad
Sustainability? Check. Social impact? Check. A chance to mention they’ve gone for the vegan Greggs sausage roll instead of the meat one? Absolutely. Veganuary ticks all the boxes for this values-driven, trend-savvy generation.
But while Veganuary might be the kickstart, plant-based eating is increasingly becoming a year-round commitment—especially for younger people. With more brands offering exciting vegan options and plant-based eateries opening across the UK, sticking to these habits beyond January has never been easier.
Here are some of our favourite plant-based campaigns we’ve come across:
Field Roast’s – Bratastic Bratwurst
Field Roast, North America’s leading plant-based meat company seized Charlie XCX’s “brat summer” trend to showcase its bratwursts with a bold campaign.
La Vie’s – Plant-Based Ham
The brand’s campaign was visible in some of London’s most ‘ham-centric’ areas such as Ful(ham), West(ham)pstead and even Bucking(ham) Palace.
Flora’s – Skip the Cow
Flora’s January ‘Skip the Cow’ campaign encouraged people to choose plant-based alternatives. From billboards to digital six-sheets, the tongue-in-cheek campaign featured everything from drawings of cows to amusing one-liners.
Meatless Farm’s – M…F…
The M… F… campaign was bold, unusual for the category and oh so witty. It managed to do the difficult task of getting some reaction out of the audience. Some laughed, some were shocked, some got angry. Either way, it got noticed and spoken about.
Danone’s – T-Oat-ally Delicious
Simple and effective. Across our very own network, this campaign reached the “Not Milk Generation” in major university cities with Alpro’s Oat Milk, in association with Caffe Nero.
Did you know that 49% of Gen Zers feel ashamed to order dairy in public?
If your product or service resonates with Gen Z, we’d love to help you reach young people across the UK where they live and study.
Get in touch to bring your message to the forefront of their daily lives!
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