Due to increasing consumer awareness and concern for animal rights, veganism has taken center stage in the food and consumer goods industry in India. With an increased demand for vegan alternatives today, consumers' demands for credible vegan labels has also been on the rise. This is where the Vegan Trademark steps in.
Vegan food is recognized in India through the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and its certification programme has set standards for vegan food products. The Vegan Trademark therefore operates as a ‘Kosher’ style certification mark which gives the consumer a guarantee that the product is 100% vegan.
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What is the Vegan Trademark?
The FSSAI Vegan Trademark is a certification logo which ensures the Indian populace that their food product is 100% vegan and devoid of any animal ingredients or animal derived helpings. This includes not only the final product but also the production process that cannot involve the utilization of any article derived from animals or involving any experimentation on animals.
The following are the requirements that must be completed in order to qualify for the FSSAI Vegan Trademark provision:
- Excludes products containing any animal products including meat, milk products, eggs, honey, or any components derived from animal products
- Does not contain any other additives or processing aids of animal origin
- Has not made any tests on animals during any of the stages of development.
- Meets all other FSSAI standards concerning the safety and the labeling of food products
Why should you get a Vegan Trademark?
Getting a Vegan Trademark offers several important benefits:
- Quality Assurance: The FSSAI Vegan Trademark means that the product has to go through rigorous checks to be referred to as vegan and thus the customers get the best quality vegan food.
- Market Expansion: Over the years, the vegan market has grown considerably and thus, businesses can invest in it. The possession of the trademark may bring opportunities of expanding the market scope and expanding the customer base locally and globally.
- Partnership Opportunities: Certified businesses under FSSAI Vegan Trademark can cooperate with other brands of the same status, which results in mutual marketing initiatives and consequently, increased range market coverage.
- Animal Welfare: In the reduction of demand for animal products the FSSAI Vegan Trademark also helps encourage animal welfare, thus promoting a more ethical food chain.
- Awareness and Education: The presence of the trademark introduces the idea of veganism to the purchasers, and therefore, it enriches the consumers with the information, which is good for creating a more conscious market.
How to get Vegan Trademark
Obtaining a Vegan Trademark involves several steps to ensure legal protection and recognition for your vegan products and brand. Here’s a general outline of the process:
1. Eligibility Check
Make sure that your product complies with the standard requirements of vegan label:
- There is no allowance for the use of animal-derived components or any components produced from animals or their by-products.
- The procedures used in making the product should not in any way use animals for testing.
- The manufacturing facilities should not process non-vegan products to eliminate any possibility of cross-contamination.
2. Documentation Preparation
Collect the relevant documents for the application.
3. Application Submission
The submission of the application is to be done using an online portal known as Food Licensing and Registration System (FLRS) affiliated to the FSSAI:
- Visit the FLRS Portal: Go to the official FSSAI Food Licensing and Registration System portal.
- Fill Application Form: Go to the vegan certification section and complete the necessary information in the vegan certification form along with all the necessary documents.
- Application Fee: Make the necessary payment to cover the certification costs.
4. Evaluation by FSSAI
After application has been forwarded, FSSAI will go through the documentation and might ask for further clarification or documentation if necessary.
5. Approval and Certification
If the application is found to be compliant and passes through the evaluation then FSSAI shall grant the application and the Vegan Trademark certificate. The certificate also permits the use of FSSAI Vegan logo on your products.
6. Post-Certification Compliance
After getting the FSSAI certification, it is important to maintain compliance with the set standards. This can include regularly audited or inspected by FSSAI as well as the records and documentations of all batches produced.
7. Renewal of Certification
The vegan certification is usually issued for a certain period of time after which they have to be renewed. Re-certification should be done in time through the filing of a renewal application before the expiry date of the certification.
Products Eligible for FSSAI Vegan Trademark
There is a legal framework for the use of vegan marks in the products set out by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Here is the list of the general categories of products which could be a subject to this action:
- Plant-Based Foods: Plant foods, vegan processed foods, plant proteins like tofu and tempeh, vegan cheese, vegan popcorns, vegan chips, vegan confectionery products like vegan chocolates, vegan ice cream, vegan yogurt, vegan cheese etc.
- Packaged Foods: Any food that has been processed or packaged as per the requirements of the vegan diet and does not have any ingredients derived from animals, any additive or processing aid to it.
- Beverages: Tea, coffee, non dairy milk such as soy or almond milk, fruit juices and any other beverage that does not contain any kind of animal products.
- Cosmetics and Personal Care Products: Products that do not contain ingredient sourced from animals and products that have not been subjected to animal testing.
- Household Products: Non-animal-tested and non-animal-content cleaning agents and other households use products which do not even involve animal testing.
- Textiles and Clothing: Clothing and fabrics that are vegan friendly, or do not contain any items from animals such as wool, silk, or leather.
Documents Required for Vegan Trademark
The following are the documents required from food business operators (FBOs) to access vegan logo endorsement from the FSSAI in India:
- Business name and physical address of the applicant FBO
- Authorized person's details
- License number
- Contact information
- Name of the product (brand name/generic name)
- Nearest food category
- Statement on whether the product is domestically produced or imported
- Copy of the product label with a declaration of compliance with FSSR
- Certificate of Analysis (CoA) from an FSSAI-notified lab
- Declaration on whether the product is certified as vegan by a third-party agency
If third-party certified:
- Company name and address of the certification agency
- Information on the certification process and conditions being met
- A vegan logo and vegan label with the logo.
- Tentative design of the label with the Vegan logo
- Self-declaration that the product is free from animal origin
Importance of 3rd Party Vegan Certification
The third-party vegan certification is very important to the consumer because this will help the consumer to determine if the product they are using contains any animal derived ingredients and if the product has undergone any animal testing. It’s especially crucial to note for the Vegans, people with animal allergy, those on plant-based diet. It enhances consumer confidence in a product through product quality, specifying that the products bear appropriate ethical and production standards, which positively affects the growth of the vegan market. That being the case, BeVeg standard for the vegan seal with the certification helps in the confirmation of vegan label claims that many products, individuals, and companies may make.
Therefore, third-party vegan certification is the important element for market transparency, consumers trust, and credibility as the foundation for the development of the vegan segment and increased availability of ethical and sustainable vegan products.
Conclusion
The FSSAI Vegan Trademark can be viewed as the next necessary stage in the development of the vegan food sector in India. Thus, when launching clear and trustworthy certification, the FSSAI contributes to better choice and supports the food business with the introduction of tasty and sustainable plant-based products. As the market evolves in response to the increased vegan trend, the FSSAI Vegan Trademark will remain fundamental in defining a constructive future food consumption pattern in India.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How to get a Vegan Stamp?
To earn a Vegan Stamp, the products have to be accredited by accredited vegan standards organizations, which proves that the products do not contain animal products or were tested on animals.
Minimum size for a Vegan Logo?
There is no specific recommended size for a Vegan Logo, however, it is recommended that such a logo should be easily noticeable on the products. More often than not, one is advised to keep it simple and clean without compromising on the logo design.
Is there an official Vegan Logo?
Yes there is an official Vegan Logo most of the time a green “V” or “Vegan” to state that the product is free of animal-derived ingredients and has not been tested on animals. Some organizations might have their own modifications to the three.
What is a Level 3 Vegan?
A Level 3 Vegan humorously means a person who does not take any food item that would cause a shadow, parodying the abstract concept of veganism in society.