Sales of animal-based produce in the UK outperformed plant-based substitutes in January 2025, as the ‘Veganuary’ trend showed a decline in traction, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) reported.
While sales of meat, fish, and poultry saw a volume growth of 1.4% in 2025 in the UK, meat-free products experienced a 12.4% drop in sales, following a four-year consecutive decline, AHDB outlined.
This weaker performance is likely due to waning engagement with Veganuary – the trend which encourages participants to adopt a vegan diet during the month of January – as evidenced by YouGov data which indicated lower participating numbers (5.65% of the UK population).
According to the data, 5.65% of the UK population took part (approximately 381,000 people per 2022 UK population numbers).
Of the 5.65% who took part, 1.29% identified as vegan all year round (about 23% of the number that took part), 2.30% completed Veganuary (about 41%), and 2.06% did not (about 36%).
Of those who managed to maintain a vegan diet for the entire month, 39% stated they are not going to continue with the diet beyond January, AHDB reported.
Veganuary
Google Analytics also reported a similar trend, with ‘Veganuary’ featuring in half as many search results in 2024, compared to its peak in 2020, AHDB stated.
High inflation and a fall in vegan product promotion likely played a factor in it’s declining sales performance this January, AHDB indicated, as meat-free products saw a 9.1% decline in promotions year-on-year.
A similar story was reported for the volume of lamb and beef sales sold during the same period, which may also have been influenced by rising prices, however, volume gains for pork, poultry and fish outweigh this reduction, resulting in overall category growth, AHDB said.
According to AHDB, dairy sales across all products increased in volume by 6.1% in January 2025, while plant-based dairy sales increased by just 1% in comparison, with volume declines reported in nearly all plant-based dairy categories, with plant-based cheese sales down 30.6%.
AHDB analyst, Hannah McLoughlin said: “Our data highlights that consumer interest in meat and dairy-free products is not as strong as it was in previous years.
“The demand for meat and dairy remains resilient, with many consumers showing a preference for traditional products over plant-based options.
“This shift in consumption patterns, coupled with fluctuating promotional activity, suggests that the traditional meat and dairy sectors continue to hold their ground in the face of changing dietary trends.
“AHDB continues to promote the benefits of eating meat and dairy year-round, with our Milk Every Moment, Let’s Eat Balanced and Love Pork campaigns focusing on the great taste and health benefits of these products as part of a healthy balanced diet.”
