What is veganism?
Food
Vegans do not eat (or purchase) animals or anything that comes from an animal. They do not eat meat, fish, eggs, dairy or honey. You can get all the vitamins and minerals you need from a vegan diet. It is just as healthy as a non-vegan diet and, in fact, a lot of studies and medical professionals say it is far better for our health not to consume animal protein. For more information on health and nutrition have a look at our Other Benefits of Going Vegan page and you'll find more on our Big 'Buts' page.
Vegans do not think of going vegan as giving up non-vegan foods, instead they enjoy the abundance and variety of delicious vegan foods. Click for a list of vegan foods you can buy at local supermarkets and shops, you can also check out some recipes, vegan menus and options at local restaurants and bars and takeaway options.
Non Food Products
Vegans do not wear (or purchase) animal skins, fur, leather or wool. They do not wear or purchase silk or down (feathers). There are loads of animal-free alternatives and there is no need for us to be using animals for their skins. Click here for some tips on what to buy instead and where to get it.
Vegans don't use cosmetics or household products that contain animal ingredients or have been tested on animals. There are loads of cruelty-free options available in local stores. Click for lists of vegan cosmetics and toiletries, cleaning and household products, vegan friendly hairdressers, vegan friendly tattoo parlor, and other adult stuff (for those aged 18+).
Entertainment
Vegans do not use animals as entertainment or pay others to see animals in captivity, performances or otherwise being exploited. Animals thrive best in their own natural habitat surrounded by everything they need for health and happiness, including their family and loved ones. You can still have contact with animals without exploiting them by visiting your local animal sanctuary and volunteering to help. Click for a list of local sanctuaries.
Vegans don't buy animals as animals are not things. Of course we must look after the animals we already have, those we bought before going vegan, and those who have been abandoned. It can be wonderful to share your home with a companion animal and there are thousands of animals in local shelters who need a good home. Click here for a list of shelters.
Going vegan is simple.
Just make a decision not to pay for or participate in the exploitation of animals anymore, then live by that. Don’t put it off thinking you need to purge your life of animal products first. You don’t. Don’t go on a lengthy spiritual journey hoping to discover your vegan self. Just make the decision, then live by that decision. That’s the journey. On your journey you will discover new and wonderful things, meet new people and share new experiences with them, grow as a person and look back at your non-vegan self and wonder “why didn’t I do it sooner.” It is going to be fabulous. You will never regret it.
On this website you'll find information about why you should go vegan and how to go vegan. If animals matter at all, we should all be vegan. See the links at the top of the page for more information.
Many of the photos on our page are by the talented photographer Jo-Anne McArthur. For prints of her photos see here
“Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.”
This definition was coined in 1944 by the co-founder of The Vegan Society, Donald Watson.
Animals are living, feeling beings.
Animals are not things.
Vegans avoid exploiting and causing harm to animals.
Q. What does that mean in practical terms, day to day? Let's have a look...
About Us
Click here for our latest events diary
Go Vegan Scotland is a not for profit volunteer group.
We are not an organisation, we have no funding, there are no paid jobs, we are just a group of people who went vegan when we realised it was the right thing to do and then decided to spend our own time promoting veganism as the best way to help non-human-animals achieve justice.
There are individual vegans all over Scotland and the world, who are engaging every day in vegan advocacy, with family, friends, colleagues and people they meet when out and about. All of that, every conversation, is very worthwhile. However, the world can’t go vegan fast enough for the animals and we can achieve a lot more if we work together, support one another and extend our advocacy beyond our immediate circle.
That’s what GVS is all about, getting out onto our streets to talk to anyone interested in learning about veganism, in a clear, unequivocal, respectful way about why it is wrong to use non-human-animals as if they were things and how to stop participating in that. Of course we want a vegan world, not only a vegan Scotland, we are only focusing on Scotland because that's where we live. Other groups are doing vegan street advocacy in Ireland, England, New Zealand, Spain and Turkey, to name a few we're aware of. The more of us doing this the better.
Justice for animals will not come from the government or from companies, it will come from each of us recognising that because non-human-animals are not things, because they are living-beings, we should not treat them as resources and unnecessarily kill them. Justice for animals will come from each of us going vegan and living vegan.
Stop the demand. End the violence.
#letsturnscotlandvegan #goveganscotland.