The Vegan Trademark has received its first redesign in 36 years. The Vegan Society unveiled the update on August 19, 2026, replacing the sunflower with a circular emblem made of V-shaped forms. The change applies to certified products. The charity retains its previous logo for its own organizational activities.
The update anticipates the application of the European Union’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition directive, or EmpCo, beginning September 27, 2026. The Vegan Society wanted to distinguish confirmation of a product’s vegan status from claims about its environmental impact. In the organization’s assessment, the flower could be interpreted as a promise of environmental benefits. The new design focuses on product verification and compliance with the certification standard.
Eight angular shapes point inward within a closed circle. They combine the first letter of “vegan” with a verification check mark. The gaps form an eight-pointed opening, retaining a distant resemblance to the previous flower. The check marks represent checks throughout product development, while the outer ring conveys compliance across the entire process.
In the old version, the illustration was integrated with the lettering. A stem and leaves extended from the initial “V,” with a sunflower leaning to the right above it. The flower had an oval center and pointed petals. A thin, open circle surrounded the illustration. Green connected the flower with the bold serif lettering. The circular emblem is now separate from the text and positioned to its left.
A large Vegan appears on the right, with The Vegan Society above it identifying the certifying organization. The main word uses a bold sans-serif typeface with an uppercase “V” followed by lowercase letters. The double-story “g” has a rounded lower loop and a curved upper terminal. The guidelines call for the complete mark, including the emblem and both lines of text.
The Vegan Society coined the term “vegan” in 1944 and established the world’s first vegan certification system in 1990. At the time of the unveiling, the program covered more than 73,000 products. Its requirements, excluding animal-derived ingredients and animal testing within the standard’s scope, remain in place. During development, the organization worked with client focus groups and other stakeholders.
The launch featured a black version on a white background. Manufacturers may choose a color that suits their product design, as long as it meets the guidelines. Manufacturers are encouraged to use colors other than green to help shoppers recognize the mark as confirmation of vegan certification. Like the design itself, the color should preserve the verification’s precise meaning.
Both versions will appear on shelves during the transition. July guidance for licensees allows six months to implement the change under the agreement and recommends using the new design in subsequent packaging runs. The sunflower on previously produced goods continues to confirm certification.