Petition Calls for Standardised Labelling of Vegan & Vegetarian Products in New Zealand
The NZ Vegetarian Society (NZVS) and the Vegan Society of Aotearoa have partnered to launch a petition advocating clear and standardised labelling for vegan and vegetarian foods in New Zealand. The organisations are calling on the government to implement legislation to prevent consumer confusion, following an increase in the use of terms such as “plant-based” or “less dairy” for products that may contain animal ingredients. They argue that ambiguous labelling impacts not just vegans and vegetarians but also allergy sufferers and people who avoid certain foods for religious reasons. The petition says that products marked “vegan” must be completely free of animal-derived ingredients, while vegetarian products should not contain meat, seafood, or other ingredients resulting from animal slaughter (such as gelatine or rennet). Additionally, if …