V-Label International Certification Explained

International (Switzerland-based) · Established 1996

V-Label International is the international name of the V-Label, coordinated worldwide by V-Label GmbH and licensed through national partner organizations under the same vegan and vegetarian categories. Read the word under the logo. Certification is a documentation review of ingredients, supplier declarations, and processing aids, backed by regular audits commissioned by the licensors, and V-Label coordinates its licensors to keep quality controls equally strict in every country; the program has operated since 1996 and now licenses across Asia, the Americas, and Australia.

Last checked 29 Jul 2026 · How we decide · Edited by Anna Polovnikova

Vegan Certification Food, cosmetics, and textiles (plus cleaning agents, other non-food products, and gastronomy services)

Audit Level: Third-Party Audit

An independent third party conducts an audit of the brand's facilities or documentation. More rigorous than self-declaration.

Supply-chain verified: No.

Supply Chain	Not required
Cost for Brands	Annual license fee plus a one-off inspection fee. The offer is based on the company data submitted, and the annual fee is adjusted when sales change by more than 10 percent.
Recognized In	EuropeAsiaAmericasAustraliaAfrica

Editorial Analysis

V-Label International is the international name of the V-Label program, which V-Label GmbH coordinates in markets inside and outside Europe through national partner organizations. In each market, local licensors check products and grant licenses under the same V-Label criteria. Recognition varies by territory, while V-Label coordinates its licensors to keep quality controls equally strict in all countries. The logo is the standard V-Label logo, administered through different national organizations, and since 2023 the vegetarian label has a green background that sets it apart from the vegan label. Growing presence in Asian markets including Thailand, South Korea, and Malaysia.

In depth

How the V-Label Expanded Beyond Europe

The V-Label began in Europe in the 1990s as a standardized vegetarian and vegan mark backed by the European Vegetarian Union (EVU). The program grew internationally through a franchise-like structure: national vegetarian and vegan organizations license the trademark and administer certification in their own territories. V-Label GmbH, the Switzerland-based holder of the trademark rights, coordinates their cooperation internationally. In Europe this network includes groups such as ProVeg in Germany and Swissveg in Switzerland. Outside Europe the label has been extended through national partner organizations in the same way.

A company in Thailand, Brazil, or Australia typically deals with a local licensing body where one exists. V-Label coordinates these partners to keep quality controls equally strict in all countries. The visual identity is deliberately uniform too. The same labels appear regardless of which national organization issued the license: a yellow seal for vegan products and, since 2023, the seal on a green background for vegetarian ones. This structure has made the V-Label one of the most widely displayed vegan and vegetarian marks, particularly in continental Europe and, increasingly, in Latin American and Asian markets.

What the Logo Does and Does Not Guarantee

V-Label certification combines a documentation review with audits. Applicants submit full ingredient lists, supplier declarations, and information on processing aids, and the licensing body reviews these against the V-Label criteria. For the vegan category, the standard excludes ingredients of animal origin as well as animal-derived processing aids and carriers used during manufacture. Some licensing bodies may request additional evidence or laboratory analysis in specific cases. Licensees also accept regular audits commissioned by the licensors, and a new inspection follows any reported recipe or process change.

The logo therefore indicates that a product's declared formulation meets vegan criteria as reviewed by the licensing organization, and that the company has a contractual obligation to maintain that formulation. It does not guarantee independent verification of every tier of the supply chain. Nor does it certify a whole company, only the specific licensed products. It also does not address topics outside its scope, such as organic status, fair-trade sourcing, or environmental impact. Because V-Label coordinates its licensors to keep quality controls equally strict in all countries, consumers can treat the mark as a formulation-level assurance with the same depth of verification from one country to another.

Reading the Label and Comparing It With Other Vegan Marks

The V-Label is a yellow circle containing a green "V" that grows into a leaf or seedling shape. A category word, "vegan" or "vegetarian," sits beneath the symbol. Checking that wording matters. The two categories shared the same logo frame until the vegetarian label moved to a green background in 2023, and the vegetarian version permits eggs, dairy, and honey. Unlicensed V-shaped graphics and self-declared vegan symbols can also appear on packaging. The category word and consistent official styling are the main visual cues that a mark is the genuine registered trademark.

Compared with adjacent certifications, the V-Label sits alongside the Vegan Society's sunflower trademark (United Kingdom) and the Certified Vegan logo administered by Vegan Action in the United States. All three are trademark-licensing schemes that review product documentation. The V-Label criteria also require licensees to accept regular audits commissioned by the licensors. The V-Label is the most widespread of the three on continental European shelves and is expanding in Asia, while the sunflower and Certified Vegan marks are more common on British and North American products respectively. A product certified under one scheme is not automatically certified under the others. Each requires its own license agreement and fee.

Frequently asked questions

Is the V-Label the same in every country?

Yes, in its criteria and labels. The labels follow one style guide, with a yellow seal for vegan products and, since 2023, the seal on a green background for vegetarian ones. National partner organizations license and administer the same trademark in each region, and V-Label GmbH coordinates them to keep quality controls equally strict in all countries.

Does the V-Label mean a product is vegan?

Only if the word "vegan" appears beneath the logo. The V-Label has two categories, vegan and vegetarian. The vegetarian version allows eggs, dairy, and honey. Always check the category text printed under the V symbol before assuming a product is fully plant-based.

Does V-Label actually audit factories?

Yes. Licensees accept regular audits commissioned by the licensors, and a new inspection follows any reported recipe or process change. In Germany, for example, external inspection bodies carry out these audits at the production sites. Some licensing bodies may request additional evidence or testing in particular cases. The label is best understood as formulation-level verification, not a full supply-chain audit.

What is the difference between the V-Label and the Vegan Society trademark?

Both are trademark-licensing schemes that review product documentation, and the V-Label adds regular audits commissioned by its licensors. Different organizations run them in different regions. The V-Label originated with Swissveg in Switzerland and is most common in continental Europe, and expanding in Asia. The Vegan Society sunflower is a UK-based mark widespread on British products. A product must apply separately to carry each logo.

Who runs V-Label outside Europe?

Outside Europe the trademark is administered through national partner organizations, coordinated by V-Label GmbH, the Switzerland-based holder of the trademark rights. These local organizations handle applications, licensing, and fees in their own markets. All apply V-Label criteria. That is why the same logo can appear on products certified in Thailand, Brazil, or Australia.