The mainstream publication has joined a slew of voices saying the vegan movement is set to keep on growing over the next 12 months

Veganism is going mainstream in 2019 (Photo: Adobe. Do not use without permission)

2019 will be the year veganism goes mainstream, according to top news title The Economist.

The outlet has published an article titled The year of the vegan, which lists some of the ways the vegan movement is becoming more prevalent in various sectors of society.

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Vegan going mainstream

"The business of providing vegan meals is booming," said The Economist. "McDonald's has started selling McVegan burgers.

"Sales of vegan foods in America in the year to June 2018 rose ten times faster than food sales as a whole. Giant food firms are clambering onto the bandwagon, creating vegan lines of their own, buying startups, or both.

"Tyson Foods, a meat behemoth, has a five percent stake in Beyond Meat, which sells meat-free patties to TGI Friday's, a restaurant chain. Even Big Meat is going vegan, it seems."

Vegan 2019

Charity Veganuary - which supports people as they try a vegan diet throughout January - has said 2019 will be its biggest year yet, with an estimated 300,000 people set to take part.

Speaking about why veganism is on the rise, Rich Hardy, Head of Campaigns at Veganuary, said: "Put simply - visibility! No longer a counter-culture, 'vegan' is now a word we see and hear everywhere - in shops and restaurants, in people's conversations on the streets, and in newspapers and magazines. It's not hype or a short-term trend.

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"There's substance to its rise and that gives it credibility. Any movement or venture has to reach critical mass to carry on and succeed. We think veganism has reached that point and is now firmly on its way to the mainstream."