A cage full of plastic chooks accompanied a group of people dressed in animal costumes marking World Vegan Day in the city centre today.

Tauranga vegans Dr Michael Morris and Rachael Van Rooyen spent the afternoon in Red Square promoting the benefits of a vegan diet to passers-by.

Rachael Van Rooyen and Dr Michael Morris spreading the vegan message in Red Square this afternoon.

This year's World Vegan Day also marks the launch of a nationwide campaign titled ‘Why Love One but Eat the Other'.

Rachael Van Rooyen says while vegans do not eat animals, or anything that comes from an animal, they can still eat chocolate because it is a vegetable.

Vegans can make vegan milk chocolate by melting dark chocolate into coconut milk, she says.

There are currently about 193million vegans around the world, and 407million vegetarians. A vegan lifestyle is about food politics, and is an on-going consumer boycott of animal agriculture.

Rachel and Michael added to their efforts today by bringing a cage full of plastic chickens, to draw attention to the conditions hens live in while providing the eggs purchased in many supermarkets.

Go Vegan co-founder Michael Hitchcock says New Zealand boasts a vegan population of almost 40,000 people.

'People choose veganism for a variety of reasons, usually as a stance against animal slavery and abuse, but also for environmental, health or spiritual and religious reasons,” says Michael.

More information on veganism, as well as free starter kits are available at www.govegan.org.nz.

Contact Michael on 0276 343 361, by emailing [email protected] or visiting www.govegan.org.nz