PETA Urges Chelsea Flower Show to Go Vegan

Ahead of the annual Chelsea Flower Show in May, PETA sent an urgent letter to Royal Horticultural Society Director General Clare Matterson, encouraging her to allow food vendors at the event to serve only delicious vegan fare. Ditching animal flesh and secretions for exciting vegan options would ensure that the experience is a feast for the eyes and the other senses and that patrons enjoy an experience that is truly brimming with life.

While we commend the impressive strides the Royal Horticultural Society has already made on the plant-based front, a show that celebrates life and nature such as the Chelsea Flower Show is perfectly placed to go fully vegan. Opting for all-vegan menus would honour the beauty of plants in the garden as well as their power to delight and nourish at the table.

Industries Rooted in Cruelty

By choosing to serve animal-derived products, Chelsea Flower Show is supporting industries that subject millions of animals to relentless, routine cruelty – all so their flesh, eggs, or milk can be sold and consumed. Females are repeatedly forcibly impregnated. Babies are torn away from their mothers, mutilated, and kept in filthy and severely crowded conditions. Then, often when they’re only a few months old, they endure a stressful and terrifying trip to the abattoir, where many are ineffectively stunned and therefore killed while still conscious.

Save the Planet With Plants

Serving vegan food that’s as vibrant and colourful as the flowers on display will not only save animals’ lives but also protect the planet. Animal agriculture is a leading cause of environmental destruction, as it requires massive amounts of land, food, energy, and water while emitting huge quantities of greenhouse gases. Leading scientists agree that going vegan is the single most effective thing anyone can do to help save the planet – and Chelsea Flower Show should take action by ending its support of the meat, egg, and dairy industries now.