Swansea University Research: Older Vegetarian and Vegan Population to Double over the Next Few Years

Vegetarian for Life highlights the growing importance of catering to plant-based dietary preferences in care homes.

As the UK celebrates Veganuary 2025, care charity Vegetarian for Life (VfL) calls on care homes across the country to embrace the rising demand for plant-based meals.

Once considered a trend primarily among younger generations, vegan and vegetarian lifestyles are becoming increasingly common among older adults.

Recent VfL research, conducted by Swansea University’s OMNIPLaNT research group, underscores the pressing need for care homes to meet the nutritional and ethical needs of residents following plant-based diets.

The OMNIPLaNT study, supported by VfL, reveals key insights into plant-based dietary trends within the UK’s care sector:

1. The number of care homes catering to at least one vegetarian rose from 22.7% in 2014 to 31.8% in 2024. Homes with vegan residents saw a smaller rise, from 2.2% to 2.6%.
2. Projections estimate that the proportion of vegetarian care home residents will more than double by 2031, to 13,000 (nearly 4%), while the proportion of vegans is estimated to increase more than three-fold to 2,400 (0.7%).
3. The Equality Act 2010 and Mental Capacity Act 2005 emphasise the legal and ethical obligation for care providers to respect residents’ dietary preferences, including those with cognitive decline.

A call to action for the care sector

VfL Chief Executive Amanda Woodvine said: “Veganuary 2025 is the perfect opportunity for care homes to reassess their approach to dietary inclusivity. The lifestyle choices of older generations deserve respect and accommodation. With proper planning, we can ensure that residents enjoy meals that align with their ethical beliefs and nutritional needs.”

VfL is urging care providers to:

1. Adopt best practices: Use tools like VfL’s Good Care for Vegetarians and Vegans self-evaluation guide to ensure comprehensive care planning.
2. Provide staff training: Equip staff with essential knowledge of plant-based nutrition, covering key nutrients such as protein, calcium, and vitamin D.
3. Collaborate and innovate: Partner with nutritionists and plant-based food suppliers to expand menu options and enhance meal quality.

Case studies: Meet the UK care homes committed to veggie catering excellence.

Why Veganuary 2025 matters

Veganuary has become a global movement inspiring millions to explore veganism each January. For care homes, it serves as a timely reminder of the ethical and practical importance of catering to diverse dietary choices. As plant-based eating becomes increasingly normalised, the care sector must adapt to ensure inclusion and equality for all residents.

Join the movement

VfL invites care providers, policymakers, and the public to champion Veganuary 2025. By taking proactive steps now, we can future-proof care homes and ensure every resident’s beliefs and wellbeing are respected.

For more information about becoming a member of Vegetarian for Life’s list of accredited care homes or to arrange interviews, please contact: Karin... info@mad-promotions.com

Notes

• The estimated mean prevalence of vegetarians and vegans aged 65+ years old living in care homes in 2031 is 3.99% (13,897) and 0.71% (2,473) respectively. The upper and lower estimates for vegetarians are 1.36% and 6.31% (4,733 and 21,978), and for vegans 0.09% and 1.41% (313 and 4,911).
• Data collated on behalf of Vegetarian for Life estimated the mean prevalence of vegans and vegetarians living per care home to be ~0.09 % and 1.48 % in 2014 which increased to ~0.19 % and 1.91 % by 2024, respectively. When aligned with estimates of the number of care home residents aged 65+ years old in those data collection years, the absolute number of vegans was ~500 and vegetarians ~5,000 living in care homes in 2024.

Ends

Editors notes

For more information or to speak with the VfL team please contact Karin info@mad-promotions.com

Vegetarian for Life is a charity registered in England and Wales, number 1120687 | Company number 6294709.

“Since there are only three fully vegetarian care homes in the UK, one of Vegetarian for Life’s major goals is to improve the standard of vegan and vegetarian catering in existing homes. We seek to do this through our UK List, which is a geographical listing of organisations and care homes that make a special effort to cater for vegetarians and vegans.

We are striving towards a vision where at least 1 in every 6 UK care homes are members of our UK List – and 1 in every 100 will be Vegetarian for Life accredited.”