As we head into 2025, consumers are more informed and value-driven than ever before. For businesses in the food, beauty, and lifestyle industries, one trend is impossible to ignore: the skyrocketing demand for vegan products.
But with this demand comes responsibility as consumers demand clarity and confidence when they shop. Misleading labels and ambiguous claims won’t cut it.
Clear labelling is no longer just a bonus; it’s a business imperative. By committing to clear and credible vegan certification, companies can build trust, tap into a rapidly growing market, and align with the values of today’s conscientious consumers.
In 2025 it’s not just The Vegan Society that want businesses to embrace transparent, consistent vegan labelling, – consumers do too. Our latest research shows that 88.9% of Brits look for vegan certification when buying vegan products, and the majority of the public (52.8%) prefer the term vegan.*
When you mean vegan, say vegan.
What’s in a name? Is plant-based the same as vegan?
The vegan marketplace can feel like a maze of labels. Is “plant-based” the same as “vegan”? Does “cruelty-free” mean something different to vegan? This isn’t just about semantics, it’s about building trust and giving consumers confidence in their choices.
Terms like ‘vegan,’ ‘plant-based’ and ‘cruelty-free’ are increasingly used in conjunction with each other, but their meanings and implications vary significantly. For businesses, understanding and leveraging these distinctions is key to building trust with shoppers and creating loyal customers.
When shopping for those vegan protein products, how do consumers ensure that a ‘plant-based’ product isn’t a plant-meat hybrid product aimed at ‘flexitarians’? What should consumers buying cosmetics look for when they want to ensure their products are free of both animal testing and ingredients? With a variety of terms used across product labelling, knowing the difference empowers consumers and businesses with clarity and trust.
To help make it clearer for you, we’ve included a handy break down of the commonly used terms in the market and what they mean:
Vegan
Vegan-labelled products meet the highest ethical standards and exclude the use of animals throughout the development and production of the product. This means:
- No animal-derived ingredients.
- No animal-derived by-products
- No animal testing.
The term ‘vegan’ is a clear descriptor that a product has been made without the use of animals at any stage of production. For businesses looking to stand, clear labelling isn’t just good practice—it’s a strategic advantage. Certification makes this definition even clearer, you can read more about The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark standards here.
Plant-Based
While the term ‘plant-based’ is often used synonymously with the words ‘vegan’ and/or ‘vegetarian’, it is inherently vague and ambiguous. The British Standards Institution (BSI) defines plant-based foods as those primarily made from plants but allows up to 5% animal-derived ingredients such as milk or eggs.
This inconsistency around the use of the word ‘plant-based’ creates confusion for shoppers looking for vegan products. At the Vegan Trademark we have also found the label ‘plant-based’ used as an alternative to vegan labelling when the product, or its development and manufacture, has not met our standards. It’s becoming a precarious sidestep for businesses who want to capture the market but are wary of making misleading vegan claims. We have seen this in food services, arguably one of the most critical industries for clear product labelling which, again, demonstrates the importance of third-party verification and allowing consumers to make clear and informed choices about what they purchase.
Cruelty-Free
Mostly used for cosmetics, but increasingly being adopted by other industries including homeware, fashion and food, cruelty-free means a product is not tested on animals. However, it does not exclude animal products from the ingredients list and many products labelled as ‘cruelty-free’ still include animal derived ingredients and by-products.
Say Vegan
Use the word ’vegan’ with confidence and back it up with trusted certification to:
- Build credibility.
- Establish ethical leadership.
- Connect with the increasing number of consumers seeking genuinely vegan products.
- Avoid misleading claims.
If you want shoppers to find your products, ensure vegan is on the label. Why? Because that’s the word they are searching for. There’s an assumption by some in the industry that putting the word ‘vegan’ on products deters customers and that ‘plant-based’ is the more accessible option, but there is no data to back this up. What there is clear evidence for is people actively searching for ‘vegan’ at dramatically higher levels than ‘plant-based’. Vegan Food and Living’s Big Vegan Survey 2024 posed the question: “How do you prefer your food to be labelled?”- a resounding 74% of participants said they preferred the term vegan. Google Trends shows the searches for ‘vegan’ were almost 14 times higher than searches for ‘plant-based’ over the past five years.
For those navigating their first Veganuary (or their fifth!), spotting the Vegan Trademark is a game-changer. Here’s why:
- Clear Standards: When you see the Vegan Trademark, you know exactly what that means. No animal ingredients and no animal testing. Simple.
- Peace of Mind: No more second-guessing whether your favourite snack or skincare product fits your vegan lifestyle.
- Growing Options: With more and more brands registering their products, you’ll find the Vegan Trademark on everything from protein powders to cosmetics.
The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark
As consumer demand for vegan products continues to grow, businesses have a unique opportunity to lead with transparency, trust, and ethical responsibility. By registering your products with the Vegan Trademark, you’re not just meeting rigorous standards—you’re building credibility, fostering loyalty, and staying ahead in a competitive market.
Avoid ambiguity, eliminate confusion, and position your brand as a leader in ethical innovation. When you mean vegan, say vegan. You make the vegan products consumers are excited about, let us guarantee they’re vegan to the strictest standards. Are you ready to chat to us about your vegan product? Get in touch. We can’t wait to work with you.
Follow the Vegan Trademark on Instagram and LinkedIn to keep up with new vegan product releases and join the conversation.
*Source: According to Attest surveys completed online for The Vegan Society of 1000 UK and 1000 US primarily non-meat eating adults in November 2023 / 1000 Australian adults in November 2023. For any enquiries related to research conducted by The Vegan Society, please reach out to us here: [email protected].
