If Veganuary has inspired you to continue with a vegan lifestyle, understanding food labels can make shopping much easier. With vegan products becoming increasingly popular, this guide will help you identify suitable foods, understand common packaging symbols and recognise ingredients that may be derived from animals.
Shopping can feel confusing when you are new to veganism. Some animal-derived ingredients are obvious, while others may appear under unfamiliar names. Once you know what to look for, reading food labels will soon become a natural part of your routine.
Begin by looking for a clear vegan claim or recognised vegan certification mark. Certification can provide additional reassurance that a product has been assessed against the standards of the organisation issuing the mark. However, not every suitable product is certified or clearly labelled as vegan. Some manufacturers choose not to apply for certification, so you may still need to check the ingredients list carefully.
A vegetarian label does not mean that a product is vegan. Vegetarian foods may still contain milk, eggs, honey or other animal-derived ingredients.
Under UK food information rules, specified allergens such as milk and eggs must be emphasised within the ingredients list, often in bold. This can make them easier to identify, but allergen labelling alone is not a complete vegan guide. Ingredients such as honey, gelatine and certain animal-derived additives are not necessarily highlighted as allergens.
Always read the full ingredients list rather than relying solely on the vegetarian symbol or bold allergen information.
Something else to bear in mind, is that if a product states that it ‘may contain’ an animal ingredient, but does not list it on the label, then it is more than likely safe for you to eat, as this is something they have to do in order to protect themselves from litigation should someone have an allergic reaction to an ingredient that may have accidentally ended up in the product during the manufacturing process. So, don’t let this put you off such products.
Checking the complete ingredients list is essential when choosing vegan food. Some animal-derived ingredients are easy to recognise, while others can be less obvious.
Ingredients to look out for include:
Vitamin D3 is often derived from lanolin, but vegan D3 made from sources such as lichen is also available. If its origin is unclear and the product is not labelled vegan, check with the manufacturer.
E numbers identify additives that have been assessed for use in food. Most are suitable for vegans, but some are animal-derived or can come from several different sources.
Additives that vegans may need to check include:
An E number alone may not reveal an additive’s source. If a product does not carry reliable vegan labelling and the ingredients are unclear, contact the manufacturer for confirmation.
Terms such as ‘dairy-free’, ‘lactose-free’ and ‘free from’ do not automatically mean that a product is vegan. These claims usually refer to a specific ingredient or allergen, so the product may still contain eggs, honey or other animal-derived ingredients. Always check the full ingredients list and look for a clear vegan claim or recognised certification mark.
Some ingredients can be produced from either plant or animal sources, including glycerine or glycerol, mono- and diglycerides, and stearic acid. Their origin may not be stated on the label, so contact the manufacturer if the product is not clearly identified as vegan.
Despite its name, lactic acid is not necessarily derived from milk. It is commonly produced through the fermentation of plant-based sugars, although checking the product’s vegan status can provide further reassurance.
Reading vegan food labels may feel complicated at first, but clearer packaging and recognised vegan certification marks are making suitable products easier to identify. It is still important to read the ingredients, particularly when trying an unfamiliar product.
If you sell plant-based products, professionally printed custom labels can help communicate your product information and attract attention on the shelf.
The Labelnet team can recommend suitable materials, printing options and finishes for your vegan food labels. Call 01277 364964, request a free sample pack or contact us for a free, no-obligation quote.