Vegan Certification
The Vegan Certification Logo stands as a registered trademark, to show that a product contains no animal-derived components or by-products, and wasn't tested on animals. This certification is meant to help consumers identify vegan products, so they don't have to look at long ingredient lists.
Vegan Certificate Requirements
In order to receive the Vegan Certification, there are standards that a product must meet. In the vegan verification process, it must be verified that the product does not contain any animal ingredients or animal by-products, and no animal testing. The vegan certificate is available for food products and non-food products Products Must Contain:
No meat, fish, fowl, or animal by-products.
No eggs or egg products.
No milk or milk products.
No honey or honey bee products.
No insects or insect products.
No sugar or sweeteners that has been filtered with bone char.
No liquids such as juices, syrup, beer, or wine, are filtered, defoamed, or clarified with animal products or animal by-products.
NO animal skin, angora, bone, cashmere, down, feathers, fur, horn, leather, mohair, shearling, shell, silk, suede, or wool.
Manufacturers need to ensure that there is a cleaning and sanitation of machinery, equipment, and surfaces to minimize contamination of non-vegan products.
How Does The Process Work?
We provide the vegan certification logo for both consumable and non-consumable items. Products do not have to be food or nutrition items. We certify durable goods, such as clothing. The verification process is the same for both consumable and non-consumable items. The Vegan Verified certification process begins with an inspection of all ingredients in the product, manufacturing protocols, if animal testing was conducted, utilization of shared equipment during manufacturing, and the potential for inadvertent cross-contamination. To begin the process, required documentation forms must be completed along with payment of a nonrefundable application fee. If the product(s) are approved and certified, then this fee will cover the certificate for the first year or 12 months. For the product(s) to remain certified, the certificate must be renewed yearly or every 12 months.
Why Get a Vegan Certification?
More people are going vegan or eating plant-based now than ever before. Research shows the number of vegans in the US has tripled since 2004. For example, in 2022, 6 in 10 American households bought plant-based foods. Sales grew over 50% from 2018-2021. Three of the main reasons for these decisions are:
Health - Research shows vegan diets can lower the risk for heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers by over 20-30%.
Environment - Animal agriculture causes 15% of the world's greenhouse gases. Avoiding meat and animal products reduces environmental harm.
Ethics - A vegan diet does not support cruelty in the meat industry.
It was reported that plant-based meat sales are growing globally in 2022, global sales grew 8% as more people bought plant-based meat, in areas such as Latin America and Europe. About 95% of plant-based meat buyers still purchase it regularly.
The United States is leading the world in vegetarian and vegan meat substitutes. In fact, People in the U.S. eat way more plant-based meats than the global average, but plant-based milks are actually more popular. The U.S. market for non-dairy milk is $1.27 billion bigger than for plant-based meats.[1]
About 4% of Americans eat a strict vegan diet without any animal products, and 5% of people are vegetarian. The younger generations follow the vegan and vegetarian diets more than the older generation. As the younger generation of vegetarians and vegans grow, these diets are likely to become more popular
While the vegetarian diet is not the same as vegan, we just wanted to show the amount of people who are beginning to avoid meat. It is also important to note for this statistic that the number of vegans is so small that surveys have a hard time counting them accurately.[2]
Another report shows about 10% of Americans over 18 now identify as vegetarian or vegan, according to a survey. That is about 16.5 million people who avoid meat or all animal products. As we mentioned, it may be hard to count vegans accurately. This report does not seem to be very off from the previous one mentioned, which showed about 5% of Americans as vegetarian and 4% vegan, making a total of 9%
A survey from Rakuten showed that lots of people tried plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, like vegan cheese or almond milk. Some have even become regular items that people buy and eat often. The main reason people seem to choose plant-based alternatives is for health. Other reasons include animal welfare, but health is what people consistently care about most.
Each country and age group has differences in attitudes. However well-known restaurants and fast-food chains have begun to offer plant-based products, showing that it is getting more popular everywhere.
Vegan Certificate
Start the Vegan Certification Application
Submitting an application doesn't automatically give permission to use the Vegan Verified Certification Logo. It's just the start of the verification process. After you submit the application, it usually takes around 30 days for the vegan verification process. When it gets approved, that's when you'll be allowed to use the vegan certification logo. Remember, you can't change or use the Vegan Verified Certification Logo without getting permission first.
FAQs
How Long Does the Verification Process Take?
The verification duration can vary. Generally, it should take around 30 days for a single product. However, the timeframe might change depending on factors such as the number of products submitted or the ingredients in each item.
Can My Company Be Certified?
We exclusively certify individual products. We do not extend certification to companies, manufacturers, or restaurants. However, we do partner and work with trusted manufacturers to make the verification process faster for their produced products and their clients.
What Constitutes "No Animal Testing"?
The term "No Animal Testing" signifies that animals, both deceased and living, were not employed in any form of research. This includes research encompassing animals, nutrition, or toxicity. This also includes tests that are mandated by legal regulations. Importantly, no external party, independent contractor, or other entity has been engaged to conduct animal testing on the product.
Can You Make a Vegan Claim Without a Certification?
While any product can assert its vegan status, the absence of certification or verification by an independent third party raises questions about the accuracy of that claim. This underscores the significance of seeking out products backed by independent certification or verification to ensure the veracity of their vegan claims.
Questions?
Please feel free to reach out if you have any inquiries. We're here to help!