Pastures new

Veganism has been growing in the UK for many years and 2% of the UK population now practice this way of living (1.36m people), a rise from 0.25% in 2014.

But what is even more interesting, is that a growing number of non-vegans have also started supporting vegan products, with an estimated 92% of plant-based meals consumed in 2018 eaten by non-vegans.

A recent poll conducted by the Independent showed that 31% of UK adults plan to eat more meat-free products this year compared to last. This trend is most popular amongst those aged 18-34, indicating a generational shift in thinking and a long-term move towards more plant-based consumption.

So, what are the potential impacts of the rise of veganism on how brands, developers, and landlords behave?

Food
Rising veganism and increased plant-based consumption are having a shifting effect on consumer choices. Notably, restaurants have increasingly become vegan-friendly. London currently has over 150 vegan restaurants and is ranked as the top city globally for vegan-friendly restaurants, according to HappyCow, a vegan and vegetarian restaurant guide. However, the effect of veganism extends beyond food and is also making an increasing impact in beauty and fashion.

Fashion
Searches for `vegan leather' increased 69% year-on-year between 2019 and 2020, averaging over 33,000 per month. On the back of this increased demand, vast investment is being directed towards developing new plant-based alternatives to leather and plastic, with mushrooms, pineapples, grapes, cactus, and apples all being looked at as possible alternatives. Mycelium, the root structure of fungus, is an early frontrunner, with brands like Adidas, Lululemon, Stella McCartney, and Hermes adopting it for their vegan product lines.

Beauty
Over recent years numerous established brands and new entrants have started pushing both the vegan and cruelty-free agenda: between 2014 and 2019, there was a 175% rise in the number of vegan beauty products launched, including brands such as Milk Makeup, COVER FX and Lime Crime. The vegan cosmetics industry is estimated to reach over £15bn by 2027.

So, what does this mean for towns and cities?

As the demand for plants continues to rise, both from shifting consumer habits and a rising population - which is expected to reach 9.7bn by 2050 - global food production will need to increase by 70% in the next 30 years. However, not all farmland is suitable for growing crops, and rising global temperatures are increasing the frequency of severe weather conditions and making crop yields increasingly unpredictable.

A possible solution lies in the burgeoning indoor farming sector, which is projected to be worth close to £30bn by the end of 2022. While still in preliminary stages and restricted in the type of crops that can be grown, the 3-dimensional use of space and customisable growing conditions allow for 340 sq. ft of indoor farm space to yield a similar quantum of produce to 2-3 acres of traditional farmland. Indoor farming also boasts impressive green credentials, as no pesticides and only a fraction of the fertiliser traditionally needed are required. Sensors also control water to precise levels, facilitating optimum growth with minimum wastage. Thus, the farms require as little as 1% of the land and 5% of the water compared to traditional farming.

Indoor farms can also be built in city centres, hence, reduce transportation emissions through more local supply. For example, Square Roots have ten farms in Brooklyn New York, which serve 100 retail stores within five miles of the farms. Indoor farming has also started to make its mark in the UK, with companies such as Shockingly Fresh (whose vertical farming system is shown above), Growing Underground and Farm Urban. 

With the growth of eCommerce, vacant retail space is requiring new utilisations - indoor farming presents a viable option that supports a greener future and satisfies a growing demand for plant-based produce.

Bikram Sandhu