Country guides
Animal welfare and plant-based living, country by country
Laws, market data, cultural context and practical advice for eating and campaigning in each country and city.
19 pages
Living Plant-Based in Australia: Rights, Food, and Culture
Living plant-based in Australia is increasingly easy and affordable, with a thriving vegan food scene in major cities and growing supermarket options. While consumer rights protect against misleading labels, animal welfare laws remain fragmented, so personal choices and advocacy play a key role in driving change.
Read moreLiving Plant-Based in Austria: Rights, Food, and Culture — KindEco Guide (Austria, en)
Yes, Austria is one of Europe's most plant-based-friendly countries, with 9-10% vegetarians, 2-3% vegans, and a booming market. Vienna has over 100 vegan restaurants, and supermarkets widely stock affordable plant-based staples. Strong animal welfare laws and progressive urban policies make eating vegan practical and culturally accepted.
Read moreLiving Plant-Based in Belgium: Rights, Food, and Culture — KindEco Guide (Belgium, en)
Belgium is one of Europe's most plant-based friendly countries, with 6% vegan and 12% vegetarian populations, thriving vegan scenes in Ghent, Brussels, and Antwerp, and affordable supermarkets. However, animal welfare laws are outdated and fragmented, lacking a dedicated federal minister and banning fur farming only as of 2024. Enjoy hearty veganized Belgian classics and budget-friendly staples.
Read moreLiving Plant-Based in Canada: Rights, Food, and Culture
Plant-based living in Canada is increasingly accessible, with major cities offering hundreds of vegan options and national chains adding plant-based items. However, rural areas may have limited choices, and groceries can cost 5-20% more. Legal protections exist but are limited, and a focus on whole foods is key to affordability and nutrition.
Read moreLiving Plant-Based in Denmark: Rights, Food, and Culture — KindEco Guide (Denmark, en)
Living plant-based in Denmark is straightforward and growing in popularity. Supermarkets offer wide plant-based ranges, and the government promotes plant-based diets. While processed alternatives cost more, raw ingredients are cheaper. Eating out is easy in cities like Copenhagen. Legal protections exist, but veganism is not yet fully recognized.
Read moreLiving Plant-Based in Finland: Rights, Food, and Culture — KindEco Guide (Finland, en) — placeholder suppressed — URL conflict — will return only JSON per spec
Yes, Finland is highly conducive to plant-based living. Around 10% of Finns are vegetarian or vegan, and plant-based milk makes up nearly 15% of milk sales. Supermarkets in cities and towns stock extensive plant-based options, and Helsinki offers a thriving vegan dining scene. Traditional dishes like pea soup and Karelian pies are easily veganized, and foraging rights provide free wild food. Costs are comparable to animal products, especially for staples like oat milk and legumes.
Read moreLiving Plant-Based in France: Rights, Food, and Culture — KindEco Guide (France, en)
Plant-based living in France is growing but shaped by tradition: 2.4% are vegetarian and 0.7% vegan, with a €250 million plant-based meat market in 2023. While supermarkets and restaurants increasingly offer options, meat consumption stays high at 85 kg per person yearly. Legal protections exist but are limited, yet practical adaptations like learning labels and using apps ease daily life.
Read moreLiving Plant-Based in Germany: Rights, Food, and Culture
Germany is one of the most plant-based-friendly countries, with 2% vegan and 10% vegetarian populations and a 2-billion-euro market. Supermarkets and restaurants offer wide options, and animal welfare law, though imperfect, recognizes veganism as a conscientious belief. Costs are comparable to conventional foods, with cheap staples and growing acceptance.
Read moreLiving Plant-Based in Ireland: Food, Law, and Culture
Plant-based living in Ireland is increasingly easy, with major supermarkets stocking vegan staples, dedicated eateries in cities like Dublin and Cork, and a growing rural infrastructure. However, eating out can be tricky in small villages, and processed vegan items cost more. Budget-friendly whole-food shopping is possible at €30–45 weekly.
Read moreLiving Plant-Based in Italy: Rights, Food, and Culture — KindEco Guide
Yes, Italy is highly plant-based-friendly today. With about 2.2% vegans and 5.4% vegetarians, plus over 40% reducing meat, supermarkets and restaurants widely cater to plant-based diets. Traditional cuisine naturally includes many vegan dishes, and the market is growing rapidly.
Read moreLiving Plant-Based in New Zealand: Rights, Food, and Culture
Living plant-based in New Zealand is increasingly mainstream, with 5% vegetarian and 2% vegan, plus a $100M market growing double digits. The Animal Welfare Act 1999 recognizes sentience but allows intensive farming. Vegan options are abundant in cities, and a well-planned plant-based diet costs about 15% less than a meat-based one.
Read moreLiving Plant-Based in Norway: Rights, Food, and Culture — KindEco Guide
Yes, Norway is increasingly plant-based friendly. About 8% of Norwegians are vegetarian or vegan, with 18% reducing meat consumption. The market for plant-based alternatives grew 22% in 2022, and supermarkets and restaurants now widely offer vegan options, especially in Oslo.
Read moreLiving Plant-Based in Sweden: Rights, Food, and Culture — KindEco Guide (Sweden, en)
Living plant-based in Sweden is easy and supported by strong infrastructure—supermarkets have vegan sections, restaurants offer plant-based options, and oat milk is mainstream. Costs are affordable, especially at home, with a plant-based basket 5% cheaper than animal-based. Animal welfare laws are rigorous, but imported low-welfare meat remains a concern.
Read moreLiving Plant-Based in the Netherlands: Rights, Food, and Culture — KindEco Guide
Living plant-based in the Netherlands is increasingly easy, with supermarkets stocking over 100 plant-based SKUs on average and a thriving vegan restaurant scene in cities. The Dutch consume the most meat alternatives per capita in the EU, and the government's Protein Transition aims to halve animal protein by 2030, though meat remains cheap and ubiquitous.
Read moreLiving Plant-Based in the United States
Plant-based eating in the US is growing, with an $8 billion market and plant milk at 15% of sales. However, meat consumption remains high at 265 pounds per capita. Vegan and vegetarian diets are adopted by 5-7% of adults, with Gen Z leading at 12%. Costs vary, but whole-food plant-based diets can be cheaper.
Read morePlant-Based Living and Animal Rights in the United Kingdom
The UK is at the forefront of plant-based living in Europe, with a market exceeding £1.1 billion and strong animal welfare laws. However, while veganism and vegetarianism are mainstream, intensive farming still dominates animal agriculture, and legal protections face enforcement gaps. Consumers benefit from extensive product availability, clear labeling, and growing institutional support for dietary transitions.
Read morePlant-Based Living in Portugal: Rights, Food, and Culture — KindEco Guide (Portugal, en)
Plant-based living in Portugal is increasingly accessible, especially in cities, thanks to a growing vegan community and traditional accidentally vegan dishes. While rural areas pose challenges, laws protect animals, and costs can be low if you stick to staples. Support local NGOs for continued progress.
Read morePlant-Based Living in Spain: Rights, Food, and Culture — KindEco Guide
Yes, plant-based living in Spain is easy and increasingly popular. Under 4% of Spaniards follow a plant-based diet, but vegan restaurants and supermarket options are booming. Traditional cuisine offers many naturally vegan dishes, making it affordable and culturally rich.
Read morePlant-Based Living in Switzerland: Rights, Food, and Culture
Switzerland is a top European destination for plant-based living, with 2-3% vegans, 10-12% vegetarians, and a CHF 1.2 billion market. Supermarkets like Coop and Migros offer extensive vegan lines, while animal welfare laws are strong but imperfect. Costs are high but manageable with scratch cooking, and a vibrant advocacy scene drives progress.
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