PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Food: Labelling (13 March 2020)

The fundamental principles of our food labelling rules are that information provided to consumers must not mislead and must enable consumers to make informed decisions. While our rules lay out what information must be given to consumers and how it must be provided, there is no legal definition for vegetarian food in our legislation. Nor is there a legal requirement to label food as either vegetarian or non-vegetarian.

Food manufacturers are free to label products as vegetarian voluntarily and so inform consumers who seek such information, providing they do not mislead consumers. Organisations such as the Vegetarian and Vegan Societies provide accreditation services to food producers, allowing food products which fulfil their respective requirements to carry their logos.

Looking forward, we have an opportunity to review food labelling to make sure that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy.