Food labelling — it’s imperative that it is done correctly, but it’s something that many people don’t spend time thinking about. If you have an allergy or health related issue, there are longstanding legislations regarding the correct labelling of products that might contain ingredients that are harmful to you. However, there is no set guidance or legislation for vegansuitable food — in fact, there is no agreed legal definition of ‘vegan’ in the UK, or many countries worldwide, and so, food producers do not have to label their products accordingly. Fortunately, the law is explicit on the definition of ingredients, so, those in search of vegan-friendly food can scour through nutritional fact panels and full ingredients to identify animal derivatives, but, unlike the need for allergens to be highlighted, there is no short alternative to finding these.
Reading these lists provides little assurance as to whether the product is actually vegan and cruelty-free. Many animal ingredients are noted as E numbers and stabilisers that are unfamiliar to some purchasers, while others are not listed at all because they do not need to be declared (for example, production additives and trace ingredients). James Butcher, managing director of Solutions for Retail Brands (S4RB, s4rb.com), works closely with grocery retailers and suppliers to improve the labelling of products. He says: