Research by commercial law firm EMW has found that there was a dramatic rise in the number of trademarked vegan products in 2019. 107 trademarks were registered in 2019 compared to 47 the previous year — an increase of 128 percent.
Multinational corporation Unilever trademarked its dairy-free Magnum ice creams, while supermarket Lidl trademarked several products, including bakery items. Restaurants such as Leon also registered trademarks for their products. According to EMW, many companies are rushing to register their preferred names, recognising the potential of the sector.
Vegan food in the UK is a fast-growing market. During Veganuary this year, there was a huge rise in sales of vegan products at both stores and restaurants. A study last year also found that vegan food is the UK’s fastest-growing choice. The Covid-19 pandemic has further increased the number of Brits turning to plant-based diets.
“Multi-national corporations have identified this as a fast-growing sector and are competing to register their trademarks with the aim of capturing and defending a share of the market,” said Daisy Divoka, an associate at EMW. “With a record number of people participating in Veganuary year on year, the trend towards vegan food shows no sign of abating anytime soon.”
