New Zealand Societies Submit Petition Calling for Clearer Labelling of Vegan Products
The Vegan Society of Aotearoa and the New Zealand Vegetarian Society have formally submitted a petition to ban the misleading labelling of vegetarian and vegan products. The societies note that there is currently no legislation in New Zealand to define what counts as vegan or vegetarian, resulting in consumer confusion. Consequently, they are calling for standardised, legally enforceable labelling requirements to support consumers in making informed purchasing decisions. The current Food Standards Code provides a foundation for foodlabelling requirements, but does not make specific provisions for vegan andvegetarian labelling. The societies argue that this is detrimental not just to vegans, but also to those with allergies to animal products such as dairy and eggs. “We want to help consumers make ethical choices simply and easily,” …
