As the Veganuary challenge draws to a close, leading data and analytics company GlobalData explores the implications a second record-breaking sign-up will have on categories outside of food and drinks – primarily, the personal and household care sectors. With nearly half (43%) of global consumers heavily influenced by a product’s ethical or sustainable credentials*, and this trend only growing, manufacturers of personal care and household goods should incorporate vegan-friendly labels to stay competitive in the coming years.

Khalid Peerbaccus, Senior Researcher at GlobalData, comments: “Over 500,000 people pledged to go vegan this month – which is double the amount who signed up in 2019. This provides a strong message that consumers are willing to make dramatic changes in their daily lives to reap both health benefits and be kinder to the environment and animals – and these vegan-friendly labels will become a crucial unique selling proposition (USP) for other categories, such as personal care and household cleaning products, over the next decade.”

According to GlobalData’s latest COVID-19 recovery survey, 43% of consumers globally say that how ethical, environmentally-friendly or socially-responsible a product or service is either always or often has the greatest influence in the current situation*.

Peerbaccus continues: “This figure bodes well for manufacturers who wish to capitalize on the willingness of consumers to purchase products that are potentially better for the environment and cruelty-free, which the vegan-label denotes.”

Furthermore, 31% of global shoppers admit that they are buying either slightly, significantly more or have been stockpiling household cleaning products than before the current situation. With cleaning and having a germ-free environment emphasized more than ever during COVID-19, this could indicate a gap in the market for products that not only offer anti-bacterial and germ-killing properties, but those that are also vegan-friendly and offer environmental benefits may be deemed even more favourably – particularly during Veganuary.

Peerbaccus adds: “When talking about the vegan-label, food and drink is often the first thing that comes to mind. However, often overlooked are personal care and household products that feature the vegan-friendly tag. Those consumers adapting their diet in the hopes of doing their bit to halt climate change, and to end cruelty to animals, may be encouraged to also purchase vegan-friendly cleaning products and personal care items. Manufacturers that strive toward providing vegan-friendly products could find themselves attracting the attention of a potentially large ethically conscious consumer group.”

*Data taken from GlobalData’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) recovery consumer survey week 11, published on 9 December 2020