Looking to capitalise on the UK’s vegan retail movement – read this first

“Vegan” is one of the biggest buzzwords of the late 2010s and an anticipated key concept across hundreds of industries in 2020 and beyond. It’s clear that this is a term that’s going to be associated with success, especially in the UK’s ever-evolving fashion scene.

Initially starting off as a dietary discipline, veganism has extended far beyond food and now continues to affect hundreds of industries as animal rights, sustainability, and welfare continue to come to light. As popular media and greater education continue to make UK consumers more aware of the repercussions of using animal products, it’s clear that veganism is set to play a bigger part in the way businesses operate.

The UK’s fashion industry—considering that it’s best known for honing revolutionary and radical ideas—has turned towards adopting a vegan state of mind to reinforce discipline and raise awareness at the same time. One of the different facets of the UK fashion industry that has been experiencing the greatest level of development is the retail sector.

With more big names taking the initiative to shift to the practices of sustainability and awareness, it’s clear that succeeding in the retail industry now entails going vegan.

Here are a few key bits of information on vegan retail to consider:

The demand for vegan retail products is at an all-time high

If it weren’t for this significant factoid, the vegan movement in retail would definitely be much less of a priority than it actually is today.

In the last four years alone, the number of vegans living in the UK has more than doubled. That means the demand for vegan retail clothing is set to grow with each passing year. That said, retailers are now expected to provide products with clear labelling of vegan origin and reassure buyers in the form of certification if they seek to tap into the growing cruelty-free market.

Knowing the difference between vegan and sustainable is more essential than ever

One of the biggest mistakes that any retailer could make when trying to jump into the vegan market is launching a product or line in hopes of recognition—only to be lambasted by the buying public for not knowing the difference between “vegan” and “sustainable.”

In case you aren’t in the know, the main difference between veganism and sustainability is that the former has much to do with abstaining from practices and products that use animal products or testing. The latter has much to do with saving the environment.

Throughout the course of the production process, it is essential to acknowledge and uphold the key difference between veganism and sustainability and apply it when handling your goods and crafting them. For instance, if you’re looking to convert one of your current best-selling products into a vegan item or create a cruelty-free alternative, then you must make a checklist of animal-derived products and swap them for animal-free alternatives.

Authenticity and veganism go hand-in-hand

With more vegan consumers growing even more suspicious as a result of several failed attempts by insincere manufacturers, retailers looking to expand into vegan products are now faced with the challenge to uphold authenticity.

When it comes to implementing authenticity in the products that you create, there are three different ways you can uphold authenticity, such as:

• Transparency with supply chain and raw material sourcing
• General education through the use of videos and social media posts
• Certifications from organisations alongside transparency of records

Final words

With the vegan revolution well underway in the UK’s retail industry, it’s clear that adopting the same philosophy into your own products is a key strategy to capture a much larger market. By taking the pieces of information mentioned in this article into consideration, you can take the right steps towards becoming cruelty-free and profitable at the same time!

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