Demand for vegan and vegetarian products is growing fast. With Gen Z topping the list of consumers of healthy, ethical and environmental products, the trend is set both to continue and accelerate. At the same time, today’s shoppers are savvier than ever before. They are more likely to scrutinize labels for ingredient and quality information, but remain wary of product claims. Instead, they are looking for recognizable vegan and vegetarian labels and trademarks they can trust.
Food companies looking to stand out from the competition and earn consumer loyalty need to build this trust in their products. They can achieve this by controlling both their supply chain and internal processes carefully, and by being totally transparent in their communications regarding production practices. Producing vegetarian and vegan food is equally a way to reduce a business’s environmental impact and work toward decarbonization objectives. Nevertheless, any environmental claims must be verified and trusted.
Legal regulation around vegan and vegetarian claims on food still lacks harmonization. An independent third-party audit offers responsible food companies the opportunity to standardize their supply chain and substantiate their product claims in a recognized, verifiable and consistent manner.