North west ‘as likely to ditch bacon as alcohol’ in January

More and more Brits in the north west are embracing a vegan diet

Residents in the north west are as likely to give up on meat as they are alcohol, as the popularity for adopting a plant-based diet continues to boom, new figures have revealed.

Web site VoucherCodes surveyed over 2,000 people across the country and discovered that almost 2.7 million Brits nationally will be aiming to avoid eating and using animal products as part of Veganuary in the New Year.

Launched in the UK in January 2014, Veganuary is a registered charity that encourages people to try vegan for January for reasons such as reducing the suffering of animals, helping the planet and improving personal health.

According to the research, 1 in 20 (5%) in the north west will not consume meat or dairy products in January – making Veganuary as popular as those attempting Dry January (6%).

Young adults (16-24-year-olds) are particularly invested in ditching animal products, with 8% aiming to go vegan, compared to 7% whom are planning to go without alcohol.

For those participating in Veganuary locally, Littleborough’s first plant-based café, Veggie Vixen, will be hosting free taster nights on Thursday 10 and 17 January, showing just how delicious and unrestrictive a vegan diet can be for those interested or curious about the growing movement.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/1/business-news/124505/launch-party-for-littleborough%E2%80%99s-first-plantbased-caf%C3%A9

The Veggie Vixen, managed by Clare O’Hearne, serves an array of plant-based dishes without dairy or eggs, including toasties, burgers, coffee and cakes, all vegan-friendly.