THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “VEGAN” & “VEGAN CERTIFIED”
A person who consumes only plant based products, and no other that originates from animals, who abstains from using any product that has been obtained from exploiting animals as much as practicable, is known as Vegan. The products in the market place should be vegan friendly. This leads to a question as to what is the meaning of vegan certified?
Vegan claimed products supposedly are not made, derived or involved in the usage of any animal tested or finished product by a manufacturer, supplier or producer, including no animal derived GMO’s or genes used to manufacture ingredients or finished products.
With an increase in demand for vegan and cruelty-free products, there is serious consumer concern as to when to trust whether a product is truly vegan. This label transparency crisis is due to products claiming to be vegan, but proving not to be after third-party audit, or semantic confusion between vegan, vegan friendly, plant-based, and even certified vegan trademarks that are not legally able to “certify” vegan. In order to legally claim certification, you need to use a third-party accredited vegan certification standard, and to date, the only one that meets certification standards is BeVeg.
BeVeg vegan certified products guarantee the authenticity of the final vegan labeled product. As plant-based consumer purchasing habits increase to more than 79 million households, according to Spins, so has the demand for Vegan certified products, as “vegan” attributes are what the plant-based consumer, flexitarian, and animal allergen sufferer are looking for; BeVeg delivers an actual standard, managed by a law firm, food and product safety experts, and vegan attorney advocates in order to protect all mainstream interests in accordance with existing consumer protection laws.
BeVeg Vegan certified products guarantee that no animal ingredients or animal by-products are used in the product during the manufacturing process and no animal testing of the products. This is warranted with independent third-party audits. The BeVeg vegan certification program is gold standard for global vegan certification, with worldwide trademark representation.
The meaning of vegan certified, for the plant-based, flexitarian or Vegan consumer, the BeVeg Vegan certification trademark means:
- Does not contain any animal ingredients, animal byproducts or animal-derived GMOs or genes in the manufacturing and ingredient sourcing of the finished product (no meat, fish, fowl, silk, insect dyes, misleading natural flavorings, colorings, eggs, milk, lactose, honey, etc.)
- Comes from a factory that was audited to demonstrate a commitment to Vegan controls and Vegan integrity to prevent cross-contamination with animal materials (purchasing controls, label checks, allergen controls, separation, segregation and other global food/product safety initiatives are formally confirmed to be in place)
- Does not involve animal testing and is cruelty-free
The BeVeg Vegan certification independently validates that processes are in accordance with ISO 17065 requirements. This robust program means that manufacturers can:
- Place the BeVeg Vegan trademark logo on their product packaging, allowing consumers to recognize instantly that the product is officially Vegan
- Bundle the BeVeg certification with other certifications that such as plant-based, organic, kosher, and non-GMO, potentially saving time and money
- Implement a program that provides valid Vegan certification for the global market with consistent third-party audits and animal allergen controls.
To earn BeVeg Vegan certification, a product has to complete a five-step process, verifying that each of their products do not contain any animal ingredients, by-products or GMOs used in the manufacturing and ingredient sourcing of the finished products; that they come from a manufacturing facility that has been audited to confirm proper controls are in place (including cross-contamination prevention); no animal testing was conducted; and the products are considered cruelty-free.
“With the BeVeg Vegan trademark on products, consumers can rest assured that the products are truly Vegan and have been backed by the credibility and integrity of a third-party audit,” said Carissa Kranz, Esq. founder and CEO of BeVeg. “With Veganism, plant-based and flexitarian diets continuing to rise around the world, being able to trust product claims such as ‘Vegan’ is becoming more important than ever before, as these words are often used loosely and interchangeably making for misleading and misbranded claims.” Thus the meaning of vegan certified products, holds more relevance in these times, where vegan products market is rising exponentially, round the globe.
The BeVeg Vegan certification program is available to manufacturers, brands, and retailers in the areas of food and beverage; personal care products; textiles and fashion; and dietary supplements. The Vegan certification is based on the BeVeg Vegan technical standard. BeVeg International holds ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation to offer the BeVeg Certification and is considered a global conformity assessment program recognized in accordance with ISO 17067. BeVeg Vegan compliance standards are set out and managed by a Law Firm; and as such provide the most legitimate vegan certification.
For retailers, brands, and companies looking to certify for the right reasons, the BeVeg certified vegan symbol is the only option, as it provides absolute confidence, trust, transparency and relief to populations around the world looking for label transparency for their own reasons, as “there are many reasons people seek vegan products. It is not just about purity in claim for ethical vegans. BeVeg is a mainstream choice for those allergic to lactose, those who are kosher, those allergic to shellfish, and for all those products looking to market vegan attributes and mean it, says attorney Kranz.
To learn more about BeVeg or how to get vegan certified, click the link.
