England: One in three vegan products contains milk or egg
Investigations have found that more than a third of foods labelled as vegan contained animal products, prompting experts to warn shoppers with severe allergies that they may face tragic consequences.
Vegan products under scrutiny
Forensic scientists have found in investigations that a large number of products declared as vegan or plant-based contain traces of egg or milk.
More specifically, 39% of the 61 products examined that were labelled as vegan contained milk or egg. Among these products were both 13 so-called milk alternatives and 48 meat alternatives. The investigation also found that a total of 90% of the products were rated as inadequate, as they either contained traces of milk or their labelling and nutritional information were not correct.
The absence of a clear legal definition for vegan foods means that unethical food companies can exploit consumers. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) is actively campaigning for legal protection to shield consumers from such exploitation by unethical companies, writes the Guardian.
Current surveys show that there is a widespread assumption that products marketed as vegan are free from animal ingredients. However, there is currently no clear legal definition for vegan foods, which allows companies to label their products as vegan even if they actually contain milk or egg.
This issue affects not just a small group of consumers. Approximately 1.5% of the population in many countries follows a vegan lifestyle, whether for ethical, health, or environmental reasons. Furthermore, one in six people suffers from a milk or shellfish allergy, making it critically important for these individuals to be able to rely on the accuracy of product labelling.
Call for a Legal Definition
The findings of the investigation have led to calls for a legal definition of vegan foods in order to protect consumers from deception and health risks. John Herriman, Chief Executive of the CTSI, emphasized the potentially tragic consequences for people with allergies to animal products. It is well known that lives have already been lost due to inaccurate food labelling.
The absence of clearly defined standards creates uncertainty for consumers and allows unethical companies to profit from this situation. A clear legal definition for vegan and plant-based foods would ensure consistency and transparency in the food industry and enhance consumer safety.
The CTSI survey also shows that approximately three quarters of consumers assume that products advertised as vegan are free from animal ingredients. This underscores the need to establish a clear definition in order to create consistency and trust. At present, there is a risk that consumers with allergies or ethically motivated dietary choices place trust in the wrong products and expose themselves to health risks.
The calls for legal protection have received broad support, as the number of people choosing plant-based and vegan diets continues to grow steadily. Clear guidelines are needed for food labelling, aligned with the standards of the Vegetarian Society and the Vegan Society. Furthermore, companies that violate regulations should be held accountable, particularly when severe reactions occur.
| You can help all animals and our planet with compassion. Choose empathy on your plate and in your glass. Go vegan. |
More on the subject of recreational hunting: The scientific evidence is presented in the overview Studies on the Effects of Recreational Hunting.
The position of IG Wild beim Wild: IG Wild beim Wild rejects recreational hunting. Our model is the canton of Geneva, which has managed without recreational hunting since 1974: without hunting seasons, without hunting dogs, without driven hunts, without high seats, without the animal cruelty and crime that go hand in hand with hunting season elsewhere. What has worked there for over fifty years disproves every position paper by JagdSchweiz. An association that bases its policy on claims it refutes in its own documents is not a professional organisation, but a factory for misinformation.
