Vegan Certification
Independent verification that a product contains no animal-derived ingredients.
What it is
A third-party mark — most commonly The Vegan Society's sunflower trademark, Vegan Action's Certified Vegan logo, or PETA's Vegan mark — confirming a product is free of meat, dairy, eggs, honey, beeswax, lanolin, carmine, gelatin, silk and other animal-sourced substances. Vegan certification covers ingredients only, not animal testing.
How it's verified
Brands submit full ingredient lists, supplier declarations, and manufacturing process documentation. The Vegan Society audits ingredient origins and re-licenses annually. Vegan Action checks for cross-contamination protocols on shared production lines.
What to look for
The Vegan Society trademark (sunflower with 'Vegan' wordmark), Vegan Action's Certified Vegan logo, or the PETA Vegan bunny mark. All three require ingredient verification by a third party.
Watch out for
'Plant-based' is a marketing term — not a certified claim. A product can call itself plant-based while containing dairy or honey. Self-declared 'vegan' without a third-party logo is not verified.
What it doesn't cover
Vegan certification says nothing about animal testing (look for Leaping Bunny separately), labour conditions, environmental impact, or whether the product is organic.
Top Vegan-certified products
The highest-scoring products in our database that carry Vegan certification.
Ethical Consumer
The Ethical Consumer Guide to Everyday Shopping
The Ethical Consumer Guide to Everyday Shopping by Ethical Consumer is a must-buy guide for UK shoppers seeking to align their spending with their core values and ethics.
Ethical Consumer
The Ethical Consumer Guide: Simple ways to save the planet
An essential UK-focused manual for sustainable living, printed on 100% recycled paper using vegetable-based inks.
Pebble Child
Pebble Child Hand-knit Octopus Rattle
The Pebble Child Hand-knit Octopus Rattle is a Fair Trade certified, 100% cotton soft toy that provides sustainable employment for women in rural Bangladesh.
UpCircle Beauty
UpCircle Face Serum with Coffee Oil
UpCircle Face Serum is a multi-award-winning vegan skin treatment that uses repurposed coffee grounds to brighten and hydrate the skin effectively.
Greenscents Organic All Purpose Castile Soap is a versatile, Soil Association certified cleaner that provides a multi-purpose, vegan solution for various household and garden tasks.
Arthouse Unlimited
Arthouse Unlimited Gift Box 4 Organic Artisan Soaps
The Arthouse Unlimited Gift Box 4 Organic Artisan Soaps is an ethical gifting choice that supports neurodivergent artists while providing luxury, palm-oil-free organic skincare.
The Harry Specters Social Enterprise Luxury Vegan Dark Chocolate Selection Box offers 12 award-winning truffles while providing employment to autistic individuals in the UK.
These ecoLiving Compostable Sponge Cloths are 100% plastic-free, highly absorbent, and fully home-compostable, replacing up to 17 rolls of paper towels.
Harry Specters Social Enterprise Luxury Vegan Dark Chocolate Ganache Truffles offer an ethical, award-winning gifting experience that supports autism employment in the UK.
Frequently asked
Is vegan the same as cruelty-free?+
No. Vegan refers to ingredients (no animal substances). Cruelty-free refers to testing (no animal experiments). A product can be one without the other — look for both certifications if both matter to you.
Are all natural ingredients vegan?+
No. Honey, beeswax, lanolin (wool wax), carmine (crushed beetles), shellac (lac insects), tallow, gelatin, casein and whey are all natural and all animal-derived. Vegan certification flags them.