Around one million people live vegan

Around one million people in Germany live vegan *, and the number is rising. Instead of animal foods such as meat, fish, milk, eggs and honey, they use herbal alternatives **. For most, the vegan lifestyle goes beyond the diet.

Non-apparel cosmetics, leather-free shoes and clothing made from plant fibers are often part of everyday life for vegan people. "The vegan lifestyle has arrived in the middle of society. More and more people decide in the supermarket, in the restaurant, in the choice of clothes or on journeys for vegetable alternatives ", so Sebastian Joy, VEBU CEO. "Especially the younger generation today is open to animal welfare issues and sustainability and lives these values ​​every day with a knife and a fork," adds Joy.

Vegan dish. Many people think vegan cooking is monotonous. Cooking is just different and actually very versatile. Picture: karepa - fotolia

Vegan offer almost never
"Due to the ever improving infrastructure in Germany, it is becoming increasingly easier to live vegan," says Joy. "The group of consumers who critically question their consumption is getting bigger. The economy is reacting to this trend. Suppliers of food, consumer goods and services are adapting to the new target groups and offering an ever more diverse range of plant-based alternatives " Joy. According to a market analysis by the Cologne Institute for Trade Research (IFH), sales of 454 million euros in vegetarian and vegan products were generated in 2015.

Catering and hotel companies are also adjusting to the vegan trend. Interested parties can discover vegan restaurants in their surroundings in the VEBU restaurant database. On special online portals, vegan people worldwide find hotels that specialize in the plant's lifestyle. Since the beginning of this year, the first degree course in vegan nutrition has been offered at the Fachhochschule des Mittelstands.

Reasons for a vegan lifestyle
A plant life protects the climate and the environment. Animal husbandry is the main cause of climate-related emissions in the agricultural sector. Globally, according to FAO, the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, it accounts for 14.5 percent of man-made greenhouse gas emissions. Animal husbandry emits more than the entire transport sector. "Vegan food supports your own health and proven to prevent many civilization diseases such as obesity, heart and circulatory diseases and type 2 diabetes.

Vegan life also means contributing to animal welfare and world hunger. Factory farming is an extremely cruel method of turning animals into food for humans. Around 50 percent of the annual global grain harvest and 90 percent of the annual global soybean harvest are fed to so-called 'livestock'. If less animal feed were grown for animal production, fewer people around the world would have to starve, "she explains Joy. "On top of that, the herbal kitchen is fun and offers plenty of scope to discover and try it out," adds Joy.

Vegan products carry the V label
Orientation when purchasing vegan products offers the V-label. The V-Label is an internationally protected quality seal for the labeling of vegetarian and vegan foods. It is used as a guide on packaging. Consumers can see at first glance when purchasing, whether a product is suitable for them. The V label is awarded in Germany in the categories 'vegan' and 'vegetarian' by the VEBU. Not all substances used in production appear on the list of ingredients. Until now, consumers can only be sure that a food is vegetarian or vegan by requesting a product from the manufacturer. If the product is licensed under the V label, consumers can be sure that it is a vegetarian or vegan product.

* For the number of vegan people see: https://vebu.de/veggie-fakten/entwicklung-in-zahlen/anzahl-veganer-und-vegetarier-in-deutschland/

** The term 'vegan' originated from the English term 'vegetarian'. The omission of the middle five letters creates the word 'vegan'.