We’ve been asked a few questions over the weekend about our trademarks. Here is some information about the trademark process.How do products get our trademark?

We check ingredients

– We check ingredients to ensure they are suitable for vegetarians/vegans. This includes checking the source of the ingredients with manufacturers’ suppliers.

– If a product includes non-vegetarian/vegan ingredients, we work with the manufacturer to find suitable alternatives before we accredit them.

We check how products are made

– We review documentation relating to production processes (often called manufacturing specifications). This is where we check for the risk of cross-contamination from non-vegetarian/vegan ingredients. This can include visits to production sites.

– We work with manufacturers to improve their processes.

Do we allow companies to self-certify their products?

No. We carry out independent checks of the ingredients and the processes.

Do we do laboratory testing?

We do not carry out laboratory testing of products.

Do we do site visits?

We conduct site visits depending on the level of risk of cross-contamination in the production process. For example where a facility manufactures exclusively vegetarian products, this would usually be considered unnecessary.

The Vegetarian Society Approved trademark criteria

Vegetarian trademark:

• Free from any ingredient resulting from slaughter
• Only free-range eggs are used
• No cross-contamination during production
• GMO-free
• No animal testing carried out or commissioned

Vegan trademark:

• Free from animal-derived ingredients
• No cross-contamination during production
• GMO-free
• No animal testing carried out or commissioned

The Vegetarian Society Approved Trademarks

We have found that every company we have ever worked with wants to do their absolute best for their vegetarian or vegan customers.

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