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For Consumers

The Certified Vegan Logo has been on product packaging since the year 2000

It confirms that the products do not contain animal products or by-products and have not been tested on animals. The certified logo is easily visible and helps you to shop without constantly consulting ingredient lists. It also helps companies recognize a growing vegan market, as well as bringing the word vegan—and the lifestyle it represents—into the mainstream. The Certified Vegan Logo is currently on thousands of products manufactured by over 1,500 companies.

As the first third-party vegan certification program in the United States, the Certified Vegan Logo is the most trusted and widely used vegan logo.

Vegan Action continues to work hard on our Certification Program to promote vegan products, encourage companies to develop vegan products, and introduce everyone – not just vegans – to the benefits of choosing vegan whether it’s your food and drinks, supplements, personal care products, shoes, or even your mattress. Everyday we have the opportunity to choose with our conscience to benefit the animals, the environment, and our health.

We Certify Products

Our logo is a registered trademark for products that do not contain animal products or by-products and that have not been tested on animals. After 25 years, it has become the most trusted and best-recognized vegan logo. We have worked with over 1,500 companies in getting more than 15,000 products Vegan Certified.

Explore our Certified Vegan Product Database

Certified Vegan Standards

In order for a product to be approved for Vegan Certification, it must not contain meat, fish, fowl, animal by-products, eggs or egg products, milk or milk products, honey or honey bee products, insects or products from insects such as silk or dyes, or sugar filtered with bone char or be processed with any animal products or by-products.

Products may not contain or be sourced from leather, fur, silk, feathers, down, bone, horn, shell, wool, cashmere, shearling, angora, animal skin, suede, or mohair.

Sweeteners may not be filtered or processed with bone char.

Prebiotics and probiotics must be cultured on or with a culture medium free of animal products or by-products..

Liquids such as beer, wine, maple syrup, vinegar, and fruit juices may not be filtered, defoamed, or clarified with animal products.

Products must not have involved animal testing of ingredients or finished products by the manufacturer after the year 2009 for any type of research or testing purposes whatsoever to include environmental safety, feed or nutrition trials, toxicity testing, or animal tests or trials “as required by law” to include third-party testing and may not be tested in the future.

Products may not contain any animal-derived GMO’s or animal-derived genes used to manufacture ingredients or finished product.

In addition, companies must submit and have approved by the Vegan Awareness Foundation that acceptable steps are taken to thoroughly clean and sanitize all surfaces, vessels, utensils, and machinery used between vegan and non-vegan production cycles to minimize cross-contamination, if shared machinery is used.


No Animal Products

Products approved to carry the Certified Vegan logo must not contain animal products or ingredients of meat, fish, fowl, animal by-products (including silk or dyes from insects), eggs or egg products, milk or milk products, honey or honey bee products, or be clarified or finished with any animal products.


No Animal Testing

Animal Testing is defined by Vegan Action as the use of animals (live or deceased) for any type of research purposes whatsoever to include environmental safety, feed or nutrition trials, toxicity testing, or animal tests or trials “as required by law” including contracted testing by another company, since the year 2009 and does not intend to test on animals in the future. This must be confirmed for individual ingredients, ingredient components, as well as the final product.


No Animal GMO’s

Products must contain no known animal-derived GMOs or genes used to manufacture ingredients or finished products.


Provide Verification

All ingredients must be verified that no animal products or animal by-products were not used in the manufacturing of ingredients or sub-ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the difference between Certified Vegan and products that just say “vegan” on them?

    Since there is no official or government definition of “vegan” it is completely unregulated. Any company can claim their product as vegan and make their own vegan logo or statement on products. Trusting a vegan logo by a third-party organization, one that is impartial and dedicated in determining if a product is truly free of animal products and animal testing, is critical in making your purchasing choices.

  • Who is behind the Vegan.org Certified Vegan Logo?

    The Certified Vegan Logo is issued by Vegan Action, a not-for-profit organization working hard to make the world a better place for all, since 1995. Vegan Action develops and runs programs to benefit all animals, the environment, and human health.

  • What about animal testing requirements for products sold to or distributed to China?

    We do NOT allow products sold to or distributed to China that bear the Certified Vegan Logo if they are required to be animal tested. Personal care products and cosmetics made outside of mainland China are still subject to animal testing unless the company can show “acceptable safety”. These products would require confirmation that animal testing was not required in order to sell Certified Vegan products in China.

  • What about Animal Testing that doesn’t kill the animal?

    We do not permit an ingredient or product that has been tested on any non-human animals in Certified Vegan products to include feed trials, skin tests, nutrition panels, etc. For that reason, some pet foods have not qualified for Vegan Certification.

  • What are some Common Ingredients that may be animal-based and found in products?

    Lanolin, shellac, glycerine, caseinate, squalene, guanine, vitamin D, stearic acid, carmine, collagen, elastin, keratin, isinglass, castoreum, whey, gelatine, Hyaluronic acid, Chondroitin, enzymes, probiotics, omega-3s, etc.  For a more detailed list, see this website for the A to Z listing. 

  • How does Vegan Action define No Animal Testing?

    The definition of ‘no-animal testing’ is defined as no use of animals (live or deceased) for any type of research or testing purposes whatsoever to include feed or nutrition trials, toxicity testing, or animal tests or trials “as required by law” and not being tested by another company or independent contractor since the year 2009 and will not be tested on animals in the future.*

    *Learn about the PDCAAS Exception

    Plant-based proteins have exploded in popularity, making the transition away from animal products easier, healthier, and more accessible. Because protein is a vital nutrient for muscle growth and other tissues, many companies want to highlight this benefit on their packaging. In the U.S., the FDA requires companies to use a Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) to determine the actual protein value of a food, which is then used to calculate the % Daily Value on the Nutrition Facts panel. The PDCAAS is a method that evaluates a protein’s quality based on how well the human body can digest it and use its amino acids. The PDCAAS has also been adopted by FAO/WHO as the preferred method for the measurement of the protein value in human nutrition.

    Since 2014, the FDA has mandated animal feed trials to determine this score. The protein is fed to an animal, and its feces are collected for evaluation. As an animal welfare organization, this presents a conflict: our Certified Vegan guidelines prohibit animal testing conducted after 2009.

    Despite our principles, we’ve made the difficult decision to approve these ingredients for Certified Vegan products for several reasons:’

    • Every major plant-protein manufacturer has now conducted these animal trials to meet FDA regulations.
    • We believe that having more certified vegan products available makes it easier for people to choose plant-based foods. Labeling these products as “not vegan acceptable”, will deter people from choosing plant protein options, in direct opposition to our organization’s goal. This will maintain unethically high levels of animal suffering within the food industry and harm the movement towards a better world where less animals are eaten.
    • Once a manufacturer has completed the PDCAAS evaluation, the FDA does not require repeated animal trials to maintain compliance.
  • Do you accept products that are manufactured on shared machinery?

    We allow companies to use shared machinery for products, provided they follow strict cleaning protocols and document them. This means that while the equipment is thoroughly sanitized between non-vegan and vegan batches, there may still be trace amounts of animal products present, such as eggs or dairy. For this reason, a product with our Certified Vegan logo may not be suitable for individuals with food allergies.

    The Certified Vegan logo is not a label for food allergies or dietary purity. It’s a symbol of our core mission: to reduce animal suffering and cruelty. We understand that many people choose a plant-based diet for health, religious, or allergy reasons, but the Certified Vegan logo is specifically designed to help consumers use their purchasing power to support cruelty-free products.

    Most vegan companies, especially small ones, can’t afford their own dedicated machinery and often lease non-vegan kitchens or equipment. If we were to require separate equipment, many of these companies wouldn’t be able to exist, and there would be far fewer vegan options on the market.

    When we developed our certification, we had to decide what “vegan” would mean for our label. We concluded that it was more beneficial to allow for the possibility of trace cross-contamination rather than exclude a wide range of products that are otherwise animal-free. We believe that this approach, which is shared by other prominent vegan organizations, is an effective way to grow the availability of vegan products.

    Our goal is to make veganism more accessible and appealing to everyone. By showing the food and cosmetic industries that there is a strong market for vegan products, we can encourage more companies to create them.

    Dietary Notes: By ingredients, Certified Vegan products are dairy-free/non-dairy, egg-free, and vegan. However, for those with food allergies, please check with the company on their manufacturing processes for all varieties if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. Many companies that make vegan products are using shared machinery.

Deeper Ethical Questions

  • Are Certified Vegan products “veganic” or confirmed to not be grown with animal by-products?

    We do not take into account soil, fertilizer, or farming practices when reviewing documentation for Vegan Certification. If we were to account for animal by-products in outdoor soil and farming practices, then nothing would qualify as vegan. We base our Certified Vegan standards on ingredients, animal testing, and processes for individual ingredients and the final product. We started the Certified Vegan Program for ethical reasons (to reduce the greatest harm to animals and those are ones bred and raised for food) and to make it easier to become vegan and choose vegan products. We want to support companies making a genuine effort in making vegan products and we don’t want it to be an impossible venture as that would not serve anyone.

  • Do you certify products from large multinational corporations?

    Yes, we certify products from brands owned by large corporations.

    Our mission is to end animal cruelty, and we believe the most effective way to do this is by expanding the availability of vegan products. By certifying brands owned by major corporations, we show the broader food & cosmetic industries that there is a significant and profitable market for vegan products.

    The more vegan options that are available, the easier and more affordable a vegan lifestyle becomes for everyone. We want to make veganism accessible, not restrictive. Certifying products from large companies helps to make vegan options more widespread and visible to the public. As more people discover how simple it is to choose vegan, the movement will grow, and animal suffering will decrease.

  • Is Palm Oil permitted in Certified Vegan Products?

    Yes, palm oil is permitted in products with the Certified Vegan logo. Our certification criteria are based on a product containing no animal ingredients and not being tested on animals. Since palm oil meets these requirements, it qualifies.

    We agree that the environmental damage and animal suffering caused by palm oil harvesting is devastating. However, if we were to include environmental impact and habitat destruction in our certification standards, very few products would be eligible. Large-scale farming of any crop—from potatoes to soy—causes environmental damage and leads to the deaths of countless animals. We all do our best to make responsible choices, but it’s technically impossible for any consumer to be completely free of a negative impact.

    While we do not promote palm oil or any specific company, our purpose is to help consumers find products that are animal-free. We believe that choosing vegan options is an important step toward a more compassionate world. The good news is that many products on the market are both vegan and palm oil-free, so consumers have plenty of options.

  • Do you consider figs to be vegan?

    We consider figs just as “vegan” as any other fruit. The wasp entering the fig to pollinate the flower is a natural process and is not due to human intervention. Not every female wasp gets trapped in the fig however, if she does, she is enzymatically digested. This would be no different than insects and earthworms decomposing in soil. There are unintentional insects in much of the food we eat and are often unavoidable in commercial products. We permit figs in Certified Vegan products.

  • Can Cultured Meat be Vegan Certified?

    While we greatly support the cultured meat movement and will encourage folks to choose it over factory farmed animals, we will not Vegan Certify cultured meat due to our guidelines. Because animal cells and/or proteins are required for growing the product, it would not meet our Certified Vegan requirements of “not being sourced from animal products or animal by-products.” We believe this option will soon be a viable, affordable, and accessible option that will reduce animal suffering and death as well as detrimental impacts to the environment. Even though it does not meet criteria for being Vegan Certified, we consider this a win for the animals and the Earth and look forward to cultured meat being made available worldwide.

  • What about the Impossible Burger, could that be Certified Vegan?

    While the Impossible Burger is completely free of animal products in ingredients, there is one ingredient that was recently tested on animals and therefore it would not qualify for Vegan Certification. We recognize that this product is really popular with meat-eaters and has replaced many animal-based burgers being purchased over years, having a significant positive impact for the animals.

  • What about natural insecticides, can those be Certified Vegan?

    We do not offer Vegan Certification for a product whose sole purpose is to kill, even if it is what we would consider harmful parasites such as fleas or ticks to protect our companion animals. However, we would offer Vegan Certification for a product where the purpose is to deter insects, for example.

  • What about fertilizers, do you make sure animal products are not in fertilizers?

    We do not request or require documentation on fertilizers that are used on food products that are Certified Vegan. In addition to that being nearly impossible for most companies to even attain that information, we recognize that all natural soil has animal waste and animal detritus present.

    As consumers like you continue to “vote with your dollar,” companies will see that producing environmentally friendly, animal-free, and healthier products is profitable. This will ultimately lead to a wider variety of better products for everyone.

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