Being vegan might feel trendy. But is it affordable in a city in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis?
The capital is officially the most vegan-friendly city in the world, according to HappyCow’s latest report, with more than 3,600 vegan-friendly spots. From oat lattes to jackfruit tacos, the city is positively marinating in plant power.
But while London might be vegan heaven, the rest of us are stuck in a cost-of-living crisis. The average Londoner already spends £67 a week on food and non-alcoholic drinks.
So, can you afford to have morals and money left for rent?
At the Vegan Life Live Festival in Ally Pally, the vegan community were shocked when asked if you can be vegan and broke in London
Steven from the Vegan Society told City News:
“Now veganism is more mainstream, you can get vegan ingredients in Aldi and Lidl, which removes the price barrier from being vegan, so it can be as cheap as you want it to be.”
However, organiser of the festival, Keith Coomber, was bewildered: “you know I just don’t know the answer to that question.”
Well, Keith, let’s find out…
The Rules
To keep things fair, I did one day as my usual meat-loving self, and the other as a a full-blown vegan saint. I shopped in the same supermarket , Tesco (London’s favourite, according to YouGov), same kind of meals – just different ethics.
This wasn’t a bougie Whole Foods trolley dash. This was real London, on a real budget.
Breakfast: Oat Milk, oh dear!
I swapped Greek yogurt for coconut yoghurt, and honey for peanut butter. It looked the same, tasted fine, but was almost double the cost.
Even the milk betrayed me.
The charity, Food Foundation says sustainable plant-based milk costs 55% more than cow’s milk. So, that frothy oat flat white you love? It’s not just trendy, it’s taxing.
Vegan Breakfast £7.50 vs Non-Vegan Breakfast £6.25
Lunch: A wrap and a prayer!
Meal deals are a great equaliser. Or so I thought. Tesco’s £3.40 price tag didn’t change, but the choice did.
According to Plant Based News consumer data has revealed that orders for vegan food at quick-service restaurants in the UK saw a 56% increase in 2024.
After some determined hunting, I found a vegan falafel wrap, fruit and a smoothie. Bland but inoffensive. Basic but I guess healthy.
BLT Meal Deal £3.40 vs Vegan Meal Deal £3.40
Dinner: Stir-Fry Showdown
Here’s where it got interesting. I made two stir-fries: one with tofu, one with chicken. Same veg, same noodles, same oil – well mostly.
The vegan version was faster to cook, lighter to eat, and (shockingly) tastier. And for once, it wasn’t more expensive.
According to Worldpanel data, the average Brit now spends just 31 minutes cooking dinner – the tofu didn’t test my patience or my budget.
Speaking to one vegan, they told me
“If you’re looking to cut corners or for it to be easy then it can be difficult because you can’t get cheap vegan food ready made for you.”
The Verdict:
After all that, what was the final balance?
Vegan day = £19.45
Non-vegan day = £18.45
Difference = £1.00
So yes . . . eating ethically in London costs a quid more.
That’s less than your oat latte, and probably less on your conscience if you care about sustainability.
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Standfirst
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HeadlineVegan vs Non Vegan: Can you Afford to be Ethical in the London?
Short HeadlineTo Be or Not To Be (Vegan)
StandfirstCity News went vegan for a day to find out whether eating ethically in the capital is realistic – or just an expensive pipe dream!
Being vegan might feel trendy. But is it affordable in a city in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis?
The capital is officially the most vegan-friendly city in the world, according to HappyCow’s latest report, with more than 3,600 vegan-friendly spots. From oat lattes to jackfruit tacos, the city is positively marinating in plant power.
But while London might be vegan heaven, the rest of us are stuck in a cost-of-living crisis. The average Londoner already spends £67 a week on food and non-alcoholic drinks.
So, can you afford to have morals and money left for rent?
At the Vegan Life Live Festival in Ally Pally, the vegan community were shocked when asked if you can be vegan and broke in London
Steven from the Vegan Society told City News:
“Now veganism is more mainstream, you can get vegan ingredients in Aldi and Lidl, which removes the price barrier from being vegan, so it can be as cheap as you want it to be.”
However, organiser of the festival, Keith Coomber, was bewildered: “you know I just don’t know the answer to that question.”
Well, Keith, let’s find out…
The Rules
To keep things fair, I did one day as my usual meat-loving self, and the other as a a full-blown vegan saint. I shopped in the same supermarket , Tesco (London’s favourite, according to YouGov), same kind of meals – just different ethics.
This wasn’t a bougie Whole Foods trolley dash. This was real London, on a real budget.
Breakfast: Oat Milk, oh dear!
I swapped Greek yogurt for coconut yoghurt, and honey for peanut butter. It looked the same, tasted fine, but was almost double the cost.
Even the milk betrayed me.
The charity, Food Foundation says sustainable plant-based milk costs 55% more than cow’s milk. So, that frothy oat flat white you love? It’s not just trendy, it’s taxing.
Vegan Breakfast £7.50 vs Non-Vegan Breakfast £6.25
Lunch: A wrap and a prayer!
Meal deals are a great equaliser. Or so I thought. Tesco’s £3.40 price tag didn’t change, but the choice did.
According to Plant Based News consumer data has revealed that orders for vegan food at quick-service restaurants in the UK saw a 56% increase in 2024.
After some determined hunting, I found a vegan falafel wrap, fruit and a smoothie. Bland but inoffensive. Basic but I guess healthy.
BLT Meal Deal £3.40 vs Vegan Meal Deal £3.40
Dinner: Stir-Fry Showdown
Here’s where it got interesting. I made two stir-fries: one with tofu, one with chicken. Same veg, same noodles, same oil – well mostly.
The vegan version was faster to cook, lighter to eat, and (shockingly) tastier. And for once, it wasn’t more expensive.
