Vegetarian Society launches new vegan trademark as appetite for animal-free continues to grow
5 April 2017
Vegetarian Society launches new vegan trademark as appetite for animal-free continues to grow
The Vegetarian Society today announces its new vegan trademark, a major development in the organisation’s offering to support both vegetarians and vegans. The news follows continued interest in entirely animal-free products among consumers.
The new trademark, that will complement the existing Vegetarian Society Approved trademark, will offer assurance to consumers that stringent checks have been made to ensure a product’s vegan credentials. The trademark will be available for on-pack and in out-of-home establishments for products that are free from:
• animal-derived ingredients,
• cross-contamination during production,
• GMOs,
• animal testing either directly or via commissioned processes.
The Vegetarian Society Approved vegan trademark will have the unique advantage of being independently checked, rather than being licensed on a self-certificated basis. Accredited products will also be actively promoted by the Vegetarian Society, being given access to event sampling opportunities and featuring in the organisation’s communications and across social media channels.
The decision to introduce the trademark comes as increasing numbers of consumers across the UK choose to opt for an entirely animal-free lifestyle, with the number of Google searches for ‘Vegan foods’ quadrupling in the last four years[1].
Vanessa Brown, Head of Business and Catering Services at the Vegetarian Society, comments: “The number of vegan consumers across the country is continuing to rise and we’ve seen a huge appetite for animal-free products across all grocery sectors, from food to beauty. We have experienced increasing demand for a vegan trademark from our customers to ensure they stand out from the crowd and can proudly display their vegan credentials.
“Our existing Vegetarian Society Approved trademark can be found on more than 15,000 products and we’re confident that our new vegan trademark will experience the same success.”
Lee Rockingham, Managing Director at VBites comments: “We are excited to be one of the first brands to carry the new Vegetarian Society Approved vegan trademark following on from the great success of carrying the Vegetarian Society Approved trademark.”
[1] Information secured from Google Keyword Planner
Notes to Editors
For further information on the Vegetarian Society, please visit www.vegsoc.org
About The Vegetarian Society
The Vegetarian Society was created to help people better understand the impact of their food choices and support those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.
The Vegetarian Society Approved trademark is a huge part of this, having been independently accrediting products for nearly 50 years. When people see the trademark on products and menus, they know they can trust it and this makes finding veggie options much easier.
The Vegetarian Society also runs a cookery school from its headquarters in Greater Manchester. As well as teaching home-cooks and professionals, the cookery school also offers free courses to community groups and service users, and has played host to various trademark clients’ activities.
