Veganism around the World

What is the world’s most vegan-friendly country?

We discover that many countries in our world are famous for veganism and have a growing population of vegans. But can we just pinpoint one as being the most vegan? Let’s look at

the popularity of veganism in these different places and see how the plant-based lifestyle has grown worldwide.

Israel

It is commonly said that Israel is one of the most vegan countries in the world. An advert that aired on Israeli TV was said to have influenced almost 150,000 Israeli citizens to stop or think of their meat consumption. For just one vegan promotion, that influence is exceptional.

Israel is known as a trend-setter when it comes to decreasing the consumption of animal products. From the development of SuperMeat (Non-vegan but cruelty-free) to hosting large vegan festivals, Israel is certainly one of the top countries for a vegan-friendly lifestyle. The topic of veganism has become almost the main point of discussion around Israel as the influence of the plant-based diet spreads like wildfire.

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Berlin

I’ve heard through word of mouth that Berlin is the vegan capital of the world. I have always wondered whether this was true. Something that fascinates me with veganism in Berlin is how many are vegan in just this city alone: “ Along with the 80,000 vegans now estimated to live in the city are butchers, singles nights and fast food restaurants – all part of a movement.”

Portland, Oregon

Have you ever heard of a mini vegan shopping centre before? Well, you can find one in Portland, Oregon. Not only does this vegan mini-mall have stores and bakeries to offer, but they also have a tattoo studio for cruelty-free, vegan-friendly ink.

Los Angeles

The city of Los Angeles in California is known as a city that is all about health, where veganism is not taboo, and there is access to everything vegan-friendly. Looking through the Happy Cow app, Los Angeles has a plethora of vegan places and they’re not difficult to stumble upon either. The 2018 Los Angeles VegFest had an attendance of over 10,000 people.

Ireland

Veganism in Ireland has expanded throughout the years. As an Irish vegan, I can speak from personal experience that the options for vegans in Ireland have increased. We now have an abundance of vegan restaurants, food in supermarkets, and options in local cafes.

When I was a teenager, I went to VegFest in Dublin. I was amazed by the amount of local vegan brands and, of course, the amount of vegans and vegetarians that were around me. From talking to other vegans to hearing speeches by James Aspey and Earthling Ed, I came to understand that it’s a supportive community. Looking back at that time now, it fascinates me to think that the vegan scene has only gone onwards and upwards from there.

Today in Ireland, we see our most popular meat brands supply our shelves with a vegan option, putting time and energy into creating such options that are rather similar to their original animal-based products. It’s amazing to see brands that originally only sold meat opening their minds to create vegan and cruelty-free products.

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Australia

There are roughly 400,000 to 500,000 vegans in Australia. And it is estimated that 1.2 million of the population follow a vegetarian diet. The increase in the vegan population has led to a boom in the vegan food industry.

Iceland

Iceland is found to be a very vegan-friendly country with plenty of places for plant-based people to eat. Like Ireland, Iceland’s traditional dishes are mainly meat-based, but the vegan scene has really kicked off there anyway. From what I have discovered on Arctic Adventures, whether you are a local vegan or travelling around Iceland as a vegan, you’re not short of options as there is something for everybody.

India

A significant number of Indians follow a vegetarian diet, around 30%, so it’s common practice in India. Looking at such a large population, this number of vegetarian people is vast. Although this is only a figure for vegetarians, veganism has also grown in popularity in the past few years and is continuing to grow.

This is partially explained by the traditional Hindu view of the cow as a sacred animal :

“For many Hindus, who make up nearly 80 per cent of India’s 1.3 billion strong population, the cow is a sacred animal.” Since 2017, it has been hard for slaughterhouses to produce beef as there has been a “regulation of livestock markets.”

Indonesia

There are hundreds of places to eat as a vegan in Indonesia. Looking closely at the country’s abundance of plant foods, there is a wealth of plant-based options based on the fruit and veg grown in this country alone. With national fruits like the durian and commonly known plant-based cuisines such as tofu and tempeh, regardless of vegan restaurant options, there is an array of plant-foods grown on these beautiful islands available to choose from.

Scotland

I’ve visited Scotland a few times, each time I was a vegan. During my travels in both Edinburgh and Glasgow, I found that vegan options were not difficult to find in the slightest. Even when you are not actively hunting for a vegan spot, you may stumble upon one strolling through these cities.

Bristol

Bristol has been ranked as one of the most vegan cities in the United Kingdom. Apparently, this city has been an early bird in developing its vegan locals. You can find a lot of sources online that give many vegan restaurant options around Bristol. Vegan Food and Living say, “Diners will be overwhelmed with choice when it comes to finding vegan-friendly places to eat, from enormous hangover-curing breakfasts to an exquisite afternoon tea.”