Vegan claims pre-flight checklist

This is not legal advice. It's a list of questions to settle before you publish a claim, based on what we found in public sources on 2026-10-21. Items tagged Ask a lawyer are areas where the rules differ by country, are changing, or carry real penalties.

1. Where do you sell?

List every country you advertise or sell in. The rules below differ by country, so each one needs its own check. Ask a lawyer

2. The word "vegan"

You know what you mean by "vegan" for this product or business (ingredients, processing, cross-contact), and you can explain it in one sentence.
You've checked the legal position in each market. When we looked, we found no legal definition of "vegan" in the UK (a 2016 government reply) or the EU (per the European Vegetarian Union, undated page), and a US FDA draft guidance from January 2025. These may have changed. Ask a lawyer
A "vegan" claim is not misleading. A 2016 UK government reply said labelling is voluntary but must not mislead; we didn't check for newer UK guidance. Ask a lawyer

3. Certification and logos

If you use a scheme's logo (The Vegan Society's Vegan Trademark, V-Label, Certified Vegan), check that you hold a current licence for that product and that you follow the scheme's own rules for the logo.
Check the scheme's own rules on logo use and on the word "certified" before you use either. Certified Vegan, for example, says it certifies products, not companies. Ask a lawyer if you're unsure.
You've read the scheme's current fees and rules on its own site. We did not verify fees for every scheme.

4. Product names (plant-based alternatives)

Dairy words (milk, cheese, butter, cream, yoghurt) in the EU: the Court of Justice ruled in 2017 (Tofutown) that purely plant-based products generally can't use reserved dairy terms, even with descriptive additions. Ask a lawyer
UK: in February 2026 the Supreme Court (Dairy UK v Oatly) held the trade mark "POST MILK GENERATION" invalid for oat-based products. Ask a lawyer
Meat words in the EU: press and law-firm summaries report an EU regulation that restricts some meat terms on plant-based products from 19 August 2029. Check the final text and the list of terms. Ask a lawyer
US: the FDA's January 2025 draft guidance on naming plant-based alternatives suggests naming the plant source. It was a draft when we looked; check whether it has been finalised. Ask a lawyer

5. Green and ethical claims

Every environmental claim ("eco-friendly", "sustainable", "better for the planet") has specific, current evidence on file and doesn't leave out important information.
UK: you've read the CMA's Green Claims Code (six principles). According to a KPMG summary, since April 2025 the CMA can fine firms directly for consumer-law breaches. Ask a lawyer
EU: per a law-firm summary, rules from Directive 2024/825 apply from 27 September 2026 and restrict generic environmental claims and certain labels. We couldn't confirm how each country has implemented them, or whether they cover "vegan" labels. Ask a lawyer
US and Australia: the FTC Green Guides date from 2012 and the FTC's page listed a review begun in December 2022 with no final outcome reported; Australia's regulator published draft greenwashing guidance in 2023. We didn't verify the current final positions. Ask a lawyer

6. Health and nutrition claims

You don't say food or supplements prevent, treat or cure a disease.
EU: the sources we read say only authorised health claims and listed nutrition claims are allowed. UK: the CAP Code says health claims must be authorised, nutrition claims must be on the applicable list, and general wellbeing claims need a specific authorised claim alongside. Ask a lawyer
Nutritionists and coaches: ask a lawyer whether these rules cover your website and social posts. We didn't find a source that settled this. Ask a lawyer

7. Keep the evidence

For each claim you keep a dated note of the evidence: supplier statements, certificates, test results, links to rules.
You review every claim at least once a year, and whenever a rule or a product changes.

Sources (all accessed 2026-10-21; several are law-firm or press summaries rather than the law itself):

UK Parliament petition 122670: government response on "vegan" (2016)
European Vegetarian Union: vegan and vegetarian definitions (undated, advocacy)
Covington: FDA draft guidance on plant-based food labelling (January 2025)
Certified Vegan: certification and The Vegan Society: Vegan Trademark (no dates shown)
Court of Justice press release on Tofutown (2017-06-14)
UK Supreme Court press summary: Dairy UK v Oatly (2026-02-11)
Osborne Clarke: EU rules on meat names (2026-09-11)
GOV.UK: CMA Green Claims Code (2021-09-20) and KPMG: new consumer enforcement regime (undated)
Bird & Bird: Empowering Consumers Directive (2024)
FTC: Green Guides (page modified 2026-07-20)
FSAI: health and nutrition claims on food (undated)

Rules change. This checklist isn't a substitute for advice from a qualified lawyer in each country where you sell.