Why we've rebranded the Vegan Trademark
The Vegan Society’s iconic Vegan Trademark logo has a fresh new look! The sunflower logo is being replaced with a refreshed and contemporary design to represent the evolution of the world's original vegan certification scheme. This redesign is an important part of ensuring the Trademark remains fit for the future and able to meet evolving regulatory requirements. While the appearance of the mark is changing, the standards behind it are not. The Vegan Trademark will continue to provide the same trusted assurance that products and services meet our established vegan criteria.
What does the new Vegan Trademark logo look like?
Old vegan Trademark design
New vegan Trademark design
Our new logo was created by undergoing an extensive design process, which included focus groups with some of our clients and stakeholders. The distinctive tick elements represent accreditation and trust, while also forming subtle ‘v’ shapes that reinforce the vegan message at the heart of the Trademark. Encircling the symbol is a complete ring, representing ‘vegan from start to finish’ and reflecting the integrity of the standard throughout the product’s journey. You may also notice the curved ‘g’ in the word ‘vegan’. While the new logo moves away from botanical representation (mandated by legislative change), it can also be seen as a natural evolution of our familiar sunflower motif.
As with the previous Trademark design, clients will continue to have the flexibility to apply colours that align with their own branding (although we advise against the use of green to avoid claims of greenwashing), helping ensure the mark remains both recognisable and adaptable across a wide range of packaging and communications.
Have the Vegan Trademark standards changed?
No, the standards remain exactly the same.
We’ve been leading the way in vegan certification since 1990. The Vegan Trademark is the world’s largest and most trusted third-party vegan certification scheme, with over 73,000 certified products in a range of categories and territories.
We established the Vegan Trademark to make shopping for vegan products easier and to denote:
- No animal ingredients in the product or its manufacture
- No animal testing at any point in the creation of the product and it's ingredients conducted at the initiative of the company or on its behalf, or by parties over whom the company has effective control.
Any product and raw material we certify will still be checked against the same robust standards – this and the Trademark’s fundamental purpose are not changing.
Why has the Vegan Trademark logo changed?
Why the rebrand, you may be wondering? The update is part of our ongoing commitment to clarity, credibility and consumer confidence and comes ahead of the implementation of new EU legislation known as EmpCo.
What is EmpCo?
As a response to increasing concerns about greenwashing, the European Union’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive, or EmpCo, is implementing new requirements relating to consumer-facing environmental and sustainability claims, including the use of third-party certification schemes (like the Vegan Trademark), for traders who sell in the EU. This will come into effect on 27 September 2026. As part of this legislation the use of nature imagery, such as botanicals and animals, are restricted.
EmpCo’s more stringent rules on how companies use environmental labels and communicate sustainability claims are designed to give consumers clearer, more reliable information about the environmental and social impacts of the products they buy. At the same time, the EmpCo directive creates a fairer baseline for brands making credible sustainability commitments.
What are the Changes EmpCo introduces?
The directive amends the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive to ban practices relating to two essential areas:
· Sustainability labels: brands can no longer use sustainability labels not based on an eligible certification scheme or established by public authorities. It also clearly defines what a certification scheme is and what criteria must be met, such as third-party verification.
· Sustainability claims: vague or generic and misleading environmental claims, including claims that misrepresent the scope or overall environmental impact of a brand or product, are not allowed – this includes cruelty-free claims.
The EmpCo directive covers all consumer-facing commercial practices, so in addition to packaging, it also applies to websites, marketing materials and other communications.
Essentially, this is great news for all - consumers and brands. As a consumer, you can shop with increased confidence that the claims you see on a product are authentic and meaningful. The Vegan Trademark was established to improve product transparency back in 1990, so we welcome the EU's commitment to improving this.
With all relevant EmpCo requirements by 27 September 2026, brands can be reassured that the Vegan Trademark continues to be underpinned by a rigorous and trusted processes.
We know that the sunflower logo is much loved and recognised, but we hope you’ll embrace this timely and exciting opportunity for us to evolve the Vegan Trademark while preserving the recognition and trust it has built since 1990. In addition, this change helps us ensure the Trademark remains distinctive, credible and effective for the future, making it better positioned to operate within evolving requirements governing vegan and related environmental claims.
What does the Vegan Trademark rebrand mean for current certified products and packaging?
You’ll still see the old sunflower logo for a while alongside the new updated logo as products are produced, distributed and sold across different timelines and territories.
As a consumer you can still look out for the old logo to help you shop vegan during the transition period – the Vegan Trademark's strict standards of no animal ingredients and animal testing have not changed and will remain the same.
Are you a Vegan Trademark holder? Here’s how to prepare for the new design:
You will have already heard from us about this change and the team is on hand to support you. Please follow the advice outlined in our communications and toolkits. We’ve also answered some FAQs here.
What can you do as a vegan consumer?
Talk about it! Raise awareness of the changes to the logo design with your vegan friends and loved ones, as well as the non-vegans in your life who may shop vegan for you. Share this blog, particularly with brands who sell vegan products, informing them about EmpCo and how they can certify with us. We’d also love to see your pictures and videos of the new logo on products and shelves so be sure to tag the Vegan Trademark and The Vegan Society on Instagram.
The views expressed by our bloggers are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.
