Now that plant-based is mainstream, what is veganism?
Veganism in 2026
That's progress. Sort of.
Plant-based options are everywhere now. Supermarket aisles, fast food menus, beauty shelves, fashion campaigns. More people can make animal-free choices than ever before. That part is genuinely good.
As veganism entered the mainstream, large brands scaled it rapidly - turning it into a commercial category.
$272.5M
Australian plant-based meat sales (2023)
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+47%
Plant-based meat sales growth (2020-2023)
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+253%
Growth through cafes & restaurants since FY19
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30M
Veganuary participants globally (2026)
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1,187
New vegan products launched for Veganuary 2026
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= More choice
More choice is good. Keeping the ethics front and centre still matters.
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| What changed? |
More supermarket access
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More corporate adoption
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Less visible ethics
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The demand exists. The values exist. But the market has shifted from vegan-led businesses to vegan-labelled products.
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The question in 2026 isn't whether veganism has influence. It clearly does.
The question is who gets to define it.
Is it just a label big companies reach for when it suits them? Or is it still tied to something real: animals, ethics, sustainability, the idea that ordinary choices can be kinder ones?
That's why independent vegan stores still exist. Not just to sell vegan products. To keep the values honest, season after season.
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