Veganuary 2026

History & origins

Veganuary is both the name of a British nonprofit organization and the January challenge it runs. Co-founders Matthew Glover and Jane Land developed the idea in York in 2013, inspired in part by how Movember turned a month into a visible campaign. The first Veganuary ran in January 2014; the organization reports that about 3,300 people signed up that year. The campaign grew through later Januaries as restaurants and retailers added limited-time vegan items and as the word Veganuary entered wider media use.

The organization later registered as a charity in the UK and expanded country pages and corporate partnerships. Participation figures published by the campaign have risen over successive years; treat any single viral number carefully and prefer the group’s own annual reports if you need a precise count. The core offer stays the same: try vegan for January, with optional support to continue afterward.

Veganuary is a voluntary campaign, not a public holiday. Supermarkets and cafés may promote it heavily in the UK and elsewhere, but workplaces and schools follow normal calendars unless they choose their own challenges.

Why it matters

January already draws “new year, new habit” energy. Veganuary channels that into a concrete food experiment with recipes, labeling, and peer support. For participants it can mean learning plant-based cooking; for businesses it has become a yearly innovation window for meat-free products. The day-page framing here is practical and cultural — not a sermon.

How to celebrate

If you opt in, sign up on the official Veganuary site for free recipes and tips, or simply cook plant-based meals on your own for the month. Try one new vegan staple each week — beans, tofu, lentils, or a fortified plant milk. Explore supermarket “Veganuary” ranges if they appear in your country. Join a workplace lunch challenge if one exists. If a full month is too much, pick a shorter personal goal — the campaign’s spirit is trial, not perfection.

Facts

• Veganuary’s first campaign ran in January 2014
• Co-founders Matthew Glover and Jane Land launched the idea from the UK (York)
• Roughly 3,300 people signed up for the first January, per the organization’s account
• It is a month-long January challenge, not a single calendar day or public holiday
• The word blends vegan and January

Upcoming dates

• Thursday, January 1, 2026
• Friday, January 1, 2027
• Saturday, January 1, 2028
• Monday, January 1, 2029
• Tuesday, January 1, 2030