A spokesperson from the Bank of England has confirmed to Vegan Trade Journal that the new £5 contain animal fat. The new notes are printed on thin flexible plastic known as polymer, making them more secure and hard wearing than the paper notes. Because of the plastic coating, they are wipe clean. This confirmation follows a…

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, formerly known as the American Dietetic Association, has recently published an up to date position paper on vegetarian and vegan diets, stating that they are more ‘environmentally sustainable’ and associated with reduced risks of certain health conditions, such as ischemic heart disease, type two diabetes and certain cancers. “It’s…

Pineapples are the latest innovation in creating high-end vegan ‘leather’ alternatives, in the form of a high-tech textile called pinatex. Now US brand Nisnas has launched a line of belts and wallets made from the robust fabric. According to the brand: “After the success of our flasks and bags, we are turning our attention to men’s…

Yet another High Street favourite has launched a vegan sandwich as part of its festive range. EAT, which has over 100 stores in London and across major cities in the UK, has two plant-based productions as part of its Christmas menu. These are the vegan festive bloomer (£3.75), which the eatery describes as: “A festive…

Over 500 visitors from across Europe attended Vevolution festival’s inaugural event on November 5, making the conference the biggest of its kind in Europe. Vevolution, which was founded by vegan social entrepreneurs Damien Clarkson and Judy Nadel focused on delivering short inspiring educational talks to attendees. A range of speakers discussed wide ranging issues from…

The global packaged vegan foods market is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate [CAGR] of 10.16 per cent during the period 2016-2020, according to market research firm Research and Markets. According to the report: “Consumers adopting veganism as a way of life and those who are focusing on cutting down on animal-based…

Chain eatery Pret a Manger has unveiled its Christmas 2016 menu – and it’s available from today. The range includes the vegan Christmas baguette – Pret’s first ever vegan Christmas sandwich. The crispy baguette is stuffed with carrots, parsnip puree, crispy onions, festive chutney, and toasted pistachios. This vegan offering follows a drive by the…

The West Midlands Vegan Festival at the weekend saw an increase of well over 1,000 visitors compared to last year. It was the biggest ever in its nine year history, with over 6,000 over the weekend, up from 4,700 last year. The increase reflects the growing number of vegans in Great Britain – over half…

New research highlights driving factors behind people choosing to live a vegan lifestyle Pressure from friends and family, and feelings of social isolation, can be the hardest part of living a vegan lifestyle, according to new research. The report, carried out by Vevolution Festival and One Planet Pizza, discovered almost one third of vegans surveyed…