Once considered a rare practice, veganism has rebranded itself as mainstream. It was once viewed as fringe movement, with vegans having to visit health food stores to do their grocery shopping.

The number of vegans in the UK quadrupled between 2014 and 2019, and last year there were 600,000 recorded vegans. The number is expected to continue rising exponentially, forecasted to make up a quarter of the British population by 2025.

People who turn to a vegan diet do so for many varied reasons. These typically include:

Adopting a healthier lifestyle – veganism can reduce the risk of heart disease deaths
Protesting cruelty against animals
The environmental benefits of veganism

We’re also getting healthier as a nation, which is likely impacted by the increase in veganism. We’re exercising more and making sure we’re getting the right vitamin intake through eating the right foods. The popularity of veganism has garnered so much attention, including from businesses — once, a vegan meal would’ve consisted of a jacket potato and beans. Now, the options are limitless, with jackfruit burgers and vegan sausage rolls. People who are concerned about deficiencies from their vegan diets can top up with selenium supplements, which these diets can lack.

Leading the veganism conversation across the world are celebrity figures. Our society places emphasis on the influence of those in the limelight, following trends from celebrities whether it’s fitness, fashion, or dietary preferences. The most famous couple on the planet, David and Victoria Beckham, recently announced their switch to veganism.

Here are some of the ways famous figures are contributing to vegan causes.

Vegan exposé directed by legend

James Cameron, best known as the filmmaker behind Avatar and Titanic, is leading the vegan revolution. In 2019, he teamed up with Netflix to release The Game Changers. Now the top-selling documentary of all time, it is an exposé on meat marketing and vegan diets. As a long-time environmental advocate, Cameron went vegan in 2011 to lower his carbon footprint while also finding that his health improved, too.

The documentary was considered ground-breaking and ignited conversations around veganism. It focused on the impact a plant-based diet could have on health and fitness. Where previous documentaries have targeted the ethics and emotions of animal lovers and environmentalists, The Game Changers changes the script and targets a different demographic — health-conscious consumers and athletes. The documentary reports that meat, fish, eggs, and dairy can hinder athletic performance, damage our hearts, impair sexual function and shorten our life span.

In the aftermath of the documentary, reports suggested men were becoming ‘plant-curious’. Why? Because the documentary highlighted the flawed marketing message that eating meat is manly. Iconic and inspirational athletes such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, medical professionals such as the former president of the American College of Cardiology Dr Kim Williams and founder of the Preventative Medicine Research Institute Dr Dean Ornish explain their reasons for going vegan and how this has legitimately improved their lives.

The Game Changers has been credited, alongside earlier documentaries, with shifting societal attitudes towards veganism. Damian Soong, who co-founded a plant-based protein provider, said: “There is now a greater acceptance and awareness of climate change, and the impact of industrial farming, and the press around meat means it’s very much in the public consciousness”.

Cameron got together with fellow legendary filmmaker Peter Jackson to open a New Zealand vegan business. They helped ease the pressure on the country’s in-demand farming industry by using alfalfa to create a plant-based protein source.

Meat-free bacon gets celebrity investment

A survey found that bacon would be the most difficult food to give up for meat-eaters. In response, vegan brand Outstanding Foods came up with a substitute. A plant-based alternative to pork rinds, PigOut Pigless Pork Rinds are made with mushrooms, sunflower oil, sea salt and other vegan components. The snack has received backing from a list of celebrities including Snoop Dogg, Jared Followill, Alexandra Paul, Emily Deschanel, Cesar Milan, Dierks Bentley and Alan Cumming.

The snacks are designed to replicate the salty taste and crisp texture of bacon. But they’re also a healthier alternative to the meat product, highlighting the additional benefits of going meat-free. It’s not only marketed to vegans but also vegetarians and ‘flexitarians’; generally health-conscious young people who aren’t vegan but have meat-free days to cut down on their consumption.

As a global rap star, Snoop Dogg’s involvement catapulted the Outstanding Foods brand into the limelight. The company described his involvement as “a new era for the brand”, with the rapper launching a dedicated website to sell the snack.

Global rap star recovers vegan brand’s share prices

Outstanding Foods isn’t the only vegan company Snoop Dogg has invested in. Though not a vegan, he is a big advocate for plant-based meat alternatives. His portfolio of investments includes Beyond Meat, a vegan burger producer.

The company’s share prices dropped in 2017 but, thanks to Snoop Dogg’s involvement, they jumped right back up. Beyond Meat collaborated with Dunkin’ Donuts to create the eye-catching Beyond D-O-Double G Sandwich — a Beyond Meat patty on a layer of egg, American cheese, sandwiched in a glazed doughnut, which resulted in the company’s share price rising by more than 20 per cent. Although this burger is vegetarian rather than vegan, it shows how celebrity endorsement can help pave the way for a meat-free world and help provide a meat-free alternative for flexitarians looking to cut down, just like Snoop. More meat-free burgers for us!

Award speeches used to promote veganism

It seems like such a long time ago now, but the 2020 Oscars ceremony was dominated by conversations on veganism. When accepting his award for Best Actor, multi-award-winning Joaquin Phoenix used his moment on stage to address inequalities in the world, including animal welfare.

A practising vegan since the age of three, Phoenix gave a speech on cruel practices in non-vegan farming. He said: “I think we’ve become very disconnected from the natural world. We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and when she gives birth, we steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakable. And then we take her milk that’s intended for the calf and we put it in our coffee and cereal.”

In his Golden Globes speech, Phoenix complimented the fact that the entire menu at the ceremony was vegan. While the actor does not own or explicitly associate himself with a particular vegan brand, his actions show that organisations can be persuaded to take positions on animal welfare and opt for friendlier and more sustainable food options.