The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Amendment Regulations, 2026, making it mandatory for all approved vegan food packages to display a specified 'Vegan' logo. According to the notification published in the Gazette of India on May 25, 2026, every package of vegan food will now be required to carry the specified green square-framed symbol featuring a stylised 'V' with a sprouting leaf, and the word 'VEGAN' below, once approval is granted. The regulation will come into effect from July 1, 2027. This mandatory logo requirement aims to standardise the way vegan products are identified in the market, providing clearer information to consumers about which products meet vegan dietary requirements. The amended Regulations revises Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2022, which aim to ensure proper definition, labeling, and regulation of vegan food products to protect consumers and prevent misleading claims.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has introduced a standardised logo design for vegan food products, featuring a green square-framed symbol with a stylised 'V' accompanied by a sprouting leaf symbol at the top, with the word 'VEGAN' displayed below all enclosed within the square frame. As per GKToday, FSSAI has specified detailed design parameters including defined dimensions for the 'V' symbol, text size, spacing between elements and the overall size of the square-framed logo. The regulator has also specified exact measurements in millimeters for the vegan logo to ensure uniformity and consistent design across all products. The objective is to create a uniform identity for vegan products and prevent confusion with other foods that may contain ingredients derived from animals, while also strengthening consumer trust and ensuring better compliance with labelling standards.
The amendment specifies exact measurements in millimeters for the vegan logo to ensure uniformity and consistent design across all products. Detailed diagrams specifying the logo, including size, placement, and colour standards, were provided in the notification to guide manufacturers. As reported by Business Standard, the amendment follows a draft notification issued in December 2022, during which objections and suggestions were invited from stakeholders over a 60-day period. After reviewing feedback, FSSAI finalised the changes to the 2022 Vegan Foods Regulations to standardise labelling and promote consumer confidence in vegan products. The notification has been signed by Rajit Punhani, Chief Executive Officer of FSSAI. Food Business Operators have been granted a transition period until July 1, 2027 to align packaging and labelling with the revised rules.
The regulation aims to ensure standard compliance and boost consumer trust in vegan food products through mandatory labeling requirements. Food businesses will be required to obtain approval before using the vegan label, ensuring that only compliant products carry the designation. With clearer labeling, the Regulation makes it easier for consumers to make more informed dietary choices and quickly identify genuine vegan products, reducing the chances of misleading claims. The standardized vegan logo will help consumers quickly identify genuine vegan products, providing clearer information about which products meet vegan dietary requirements. The implementation represents a significant step toward regulating the vegan food sector and ensuring transparency in product labelling, as part of FSSAI's broader initiative to standardise food labelling across various categories. Once implemented, the mandatory logo is expected to streamline identification of vegan products across retail shelves, both online and offline, while strengthening compliance standards in India's evolving food sector.
Concurrent with the vegan logo mandate, FSSAI has issued a separate advisory addressing the utilization of Ashwagandha in the food industry. According to the latest regulatory update, only the roots and their extracts of Ashwagandha are authorized for use in health supplements and special dietary foods, while the use of leaves is explicitly prohibited. This advisory serves to clarify permissible ingredients under the existing 2016 regulations on health supplements and nutraceuticals, providing clear guidelines for manufacturers and ensuring compliance with established food safety standards.
