Vegan labelling confusing to customers
By Adam Clancy
The rise of veganism over the past few years is clear to see. In the UK, the total value of the vegan market is £443m, and it’s expected to rise. Many people are buying vegan products, but how clear are the labels?
“Every vegan label must say ‘suitable for vegans,’ if not it has to be suitable for vegetarians,” says London Vegans manager Brian Jacobs. This is also true with allergens.
However, there are some common ingredients listed on vegan products that aren’t necessarily vegan. Xanthan gum is an additive to prevent ingredients from separating and is commonly listed under vegan products. Some Xanthan gum has been found to be made by the fermentation of a dairy by-product called whey, so therefore shouldn’t be classed as vegan.
In a recent Zest Magazine survey, participants found certain E-numbers to be confusing and had to be searched thoroughly to make sure all substances
Infographic from Zest Magazine.
were suitable. Only 12% of participants could tell if the product they bought was entirely vegan.
Some vegan products don’t even have labels on them. Ondrej Matej, a vegan nutritionist and personal trainer, gives one example of this: “There are no ingredients on the packaging in the bakery. I had to check individual ingredients.”
Latest statistics from the Food Standards Agency showed that according to a survey, just a third of participants from the UK are always confident that food is what it says on the label, including vegan labels. In the same survey, over half of UK participants didn’t feel informed about the chemicals in their food, suggesting vegan labels need to made clearer to customers.
It’s unclear for now whether vegan labelling will be made clearer in future.