An increasing number of young Australians are jumping on the vegan bandwagon. Australia’s packaged vegan food market will be worth $215 million by 2020, a market research firm predicts.

Even some dietitians believe there will be a continued rise in veganism in the country. This prediction is supported by research firm Euromonitor International.

It has been found that the country is the world’s third fastest growing vegan market. The United Arab Emirates and China reportedly lead the list.

The diet excludes the use of all animal products such as eggs and dairy. Sydney dietitian Nicole Dynan said it is particularly popular with female millennials in Australia. “Just about everywhere you go you can get a poké bowl of some vegan variety,” Dynan told AAP.

A spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia said that the veganism trend is beginning to trickle among older age groups. News.com.au reports the spokesperson as saying that the hype around gut and micro health has made people more aware of the value of plant food.

Dynan has confirmed that social media plays an important part via the sharing of nicely presented vegan meals online. Instagram and blog sites display photos of vegan meals bursting with colour.

There are a number of restaurants embracing the trend, offering vegan-friendly options. According to the Food Revolution Network, the number of recently launched Australian food products carrying a vegan claim climbed by 92 percent between 2014 and 2016.

The country’s soy and almond milk production have climbed steadily as more Australians lap up alternative milk. The industry is now worth $158.3 million.

In the UK, new research into the nation’s “green habits” suggests that over 3.5 million people now identify as vegan, and more than seven million have switched to a vegetarian diet. The survey commissioned by comparethemarket.com involved 2,000 people. Adults were asked about their current lifestyle choices; the results were scaled up to apply to the entire population. Fourteen percent of those involved in the survey said they were vegetarian, while 7 percent said they are vegan. Nearly a third or 31 percent said they are consciously eating less meat than they used to.

Speaking to HuffPost UK, nutrition consultant Charlotte Stirling-Reed said she is in favour of reducing meat consumption. Her advice for those planning of cutting it down is to consider how to replace the nutrients in their diet that meat provides.

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