Cambridge University students vote for completely vegan menus. Here is why

University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (Image: PTI)

Cambridge University students have voted in favour of transitioning into a completely vegan menu across its catering services.

The varsity’s student union on February 20 voted to discuss removing animals, and animal products from all cafes and canteens tied with the university’s catering services to be able to create a “sustainable and 100 percent plant-based” menu.

The motion in favour of a fully vegan menu came in response to “climate and biodiversity crises”; it got the backing of 72 percent of student representatives who cast their vote on the matter after deliberating on the issue for four weeks, The Guardian reported.

Also read: Plant-based meat: The healthy, green kid on the block?

The report added that lobbying from Cambridge’s Plant-Based Universities campaign, which is supported by Animal Rebellion – under activist group Extinction Rebellion, helped sway the votes in favour of a vegan menu.

The Guardian quoted William Smith, a member of the Plant-Based Universities Campaign (Cambridge's arm) as saying: “By removing animal products from its menus, the university could significantly reduce its environmental impact and showcase to the world its commitment to sustainability.”

Also read: Uday Kotak bats for vegetarianism to save planet, says beef consumption too polluting

However, a vote in favour of vegan food to battle climate crises does not guarantee that Cambridge University’s catering services will be implementing the changes to the menu; the power to bring about such sweeping changes in food policy lies with the varsity administration.

Back in November 2022, Stirling University became the first in Britain to vow to transition to completely plant-based foods. Earlier, in 2016, beef and lamb were removed from Cambridge University Catering Services. A similar motion was passed in Oxford too, in 2020, but some of the cafes in the varsity still serve red meat.