Even though data is very scarce it is safe to assume that the number of vegans and people who follow vegan-ish diets is increasing worldwide, in many, possibly most countries.
The Vegan Society (UK) in 2016 estimated that there are more than 500,000 dietary vegans in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales, not including Northern Ireland; based on an Ipsos MORI survey including 10,000 people). This is about 1% of the population aged 15 years and older.
The German Vegetarian Society (VEBU) cites the marketing research institute Skopos who have found that in Germany in 2016 there were about 1.3 million dietary vegans. This is about 1.6% of the population in Germany. Another survey found that about 1% of the population aged 14 years or older in Germany in 2018 describe themselves as vegans or as following a mostly vegan diet. This would be more than 800,000 people. (I cannot see how many participants took part in either of these two surveys.)
A Harris Poll in the United States which was conducted on behalf of the Vegetarian Resource Group and which included 2,015 people aged 18 years and older, found that in 2016 about 1.1% of the population, i.e. about 3.7 million adults in the United States were dietary vegans.
From anecdotal reports we can assume that the number of vegans is also increasing in many other countries around the world, including the two most populous countries, China and India, as well as in the fourth most populous country (USA = number 3), Indonesia.
The number of animals slaughtered is increasing worldwide
The number of animals slaughtered in rising and rising - the two main reasons for this are human world population growth (see below) and the increase in per capita meat consumption in many countries in the world, including China, India, Indonesia and Brazil.
By far the largest number and percentage of land animals slaughtered worldwide (by species) are chickens. Chickens make up more than 90% of the more than 70 billion (per year) land animals slaughtered worldwide.
Number of chickens slaughtered worldwide, 1961 to 2016 (FAOSTAT 2018)
Number of chickens slaughtered in China, 1961 to 2016 (FAOSTAT 2018)
Number of chickens slaughtered in India, 1961 to 2016 (FAOSTAT 2018)
Number of chickens slaughtered the United States, 1961 to 2016 (FAOSTAT 2018)
Number of chickens slaughtered in Indonesia, 1961 to 2016 (FAOSTAT 2018)
Number of chickens slaughtered in Brazil, 1961 to 2016 (FAOSTAT 2018)
Number of chickens slaughtered in Pakistan, 1961 to 2016 (FAOSTAT 2018)
Number of chickens slaughtered in Nigeria, 1961 to 2016 (FAOSTAT 2018)
Number of chickens slaughtered in Bangladesh, 1961 to 2016 (FAOSTAT 2018)
Number of chickens slaughtered in Russia, 1961 to 2016 (FAOSTAT 2018)
Number of chickens slaughtered in Japan, 1961 to 2016 (FAOSTAT 2018)
Number of chickens slaughtered in the European Union, 1961 to 2016 (FAOSTAT 2018)
Production share of chicken meat by world region (2016) (FAOSTAT 2018)
Top chicken meat producing countries in Europe are Poland (1.9 million tonnes) and the United Kingdom (1.6 millions tonnes).
Production of chicken meat in Europe (2016) (FAOSTAT 2018)
Number of land animals slaughtered worldwide, per
year (2016) (FAOSTAT 2018)
|
|
Meat, donkey
|
2,569,520
|
Meat, birds, other species
|
55,324,000
|
Meat, buffaloes
|
26,190,707
|
Meat, camels
|
2,445,235
|
Meat, cattle
|
302,018,862
|
Meat, chickens
|
65,847,411,000
|
Meat, ducks
|
3,056,103,000
|
Meat, so-called game animals
|
655,978
|
Meat, goats
|
459,861,000
|
Meat, geese and guinea fowl
|
658,903,000
|
Meat, horses
|
4,784,491
|
Meat, mules
|
477,506
|
Meat, other species of land animals
|
93,292
|
Meat, other camelids
|
944,671
|
Meat, other rodents
|
70,440,000
|
Meat, pigs
|
1,478,167,073
|
Meat, rabbits
|
980,785,000
|
Meat, sheep
|
551,420,651
|
Meat, turkeys
|
673,278,000
|
The total number of fishes who are killed annually is much higher than that of land animals. Around 80 million tons of fishes and other water animals are caught (= killed) per year by the fishery industry - 90% of this amount comes from the sea, 10% comes from inland bodies of water. In addition another 80 million tons of water animals are killed in aquacultures every year (according to FAO data, 2018).
The number on humans on earth is increasing
Most populous countries in the world in 2018 (according to the United States Census Bureau, 2018) |
|
China
|
1,384,688,986
|
India
|
1,296,834,042
|
United States
|
329,256,465
|
Indonesia
|
262,787,403
|
Brazil
|
208,846,892
|
Pakistan
|
207,862,518
|
Nigeria
|
203,452,505
|
Bangladesh
|
159,453,001
|
Russia
|
142,122,776
|
Japan
|
126,168,156
|
What does this tell us? What should we do?
My opinion:
The hard endpoints of the vegan movement should be the number of animals slaughtered/killed and the suffering they go through. The vegan movement should aim to bring these numbers down.
(Killing and suffering of wild animals is not addressed in this post.)
The vegan movement should focus and discard bias and ego-tripping, and try to think and act rationally. The most effective methods to bring the above mentioned numbers down should be searched for and tested. The most effective methods should be used, and optimized.
If veganism is promoted, it is our ethical responsibilty to provide reliable vegan nutrition information, most importantly regarding vitamin B12, to our fellow vegans and the vegan-curious (and everyone else).
Out of necessity, I explicitly distance myself from any individuals and organizations in the vegan movement who lie (knowingly provide wrong information) or who knowingly hide essential information or who out of ignorance, i.e. negligence (in 2018 that usually means negligence), fail to assist vegans in danger of nutrient deficiencies with potentially grave consequences for their health and future.
It is quite possible that dishonest vegan activism - apart from being unethical - will harm the vegan movement's reputation and in the long term will inhibit lowering the numbers of animals killed and will inhibit accomplishing positive (desireable) change for animals.
Veganism is about helping others. Veganism is not just about us.
While you're at it check out this vegan brownie recipe by the FAO:
... and happy world vegan day. And yes, to make these brownies more artery-friendly substitute something else (more of the other ingredients or ground nuts or nut butter) for the coconut oil.
My opinion:
The hard endpoints of the vegan movement should be the number of animals slaughtered/killed and the suffering they go through. The vegan movement should aim to bring these numbers down.
(Killing and suffering of wild animals is not addressed in this post.)
The vegan movement should focus and discard bias and ego-tripping, and try to think and act rationally. The most effective methods to bring the above mentioned numbers down should be searched for and tested. The most effective methods should be used, and optimized.
If veganism is promoted, it is our ethical responsibilty to provide reliable vegan nutrition information, most importantly regarding vitamin B12, to our fellow vegans and the vegan-curious (and everyone else).
Out of necessity, I explicitly distance myself from any individuals and organizations in the vegan movement who lie (knowingly provide wrong information) or who knowingly hide essential information or who out of ignorance, i.e. negligence (in 2018 that usually means negligence), fail to assist vegans in danger of nutrient deficiencies with potentially grave consequences for their health and future.
It is quite possible that dishonest vegan activism - apart from being unethical - will harm the vegan movement's reputation and in the long term will inhibit lowering the numbers of animals killed and will inhibit accomplishing positive (desireable) change for animals.
Veganism is about helping others. Veganism is not just about us.
While you're at it check out this vegan brownie recipe by the FAO:
... and happy world vegan day. And yes, to make these brownies more artery-friendly substitute something else (more of the other ingredients or ground nuts or nut butter) for the coconut oil.