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The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), in exercise of its regulatory powers under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Amendment Regulations, 2026. The amendment introduces a mandatory standardized logo for vegan food products and represents a significant step towards strengthening consumer protection, enhancing transparency in food labelling, and ensuring consistency in the marketing of plant-based products across India.
The amended regulations are scheduled to come into force on 1 July 2027, providing food business operators with sufficient time to align their packaging and compliance systems with the new requirements.
Legal Basis and Regulatory Framework
The amendment derives its authority from Section 92 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which empowers FSSAI to frame regulations for carrying out the provisions of the Act. In particular, the Authority has exercised its powers under clause (v) of sub-section (2) of Section 92, which relates to the prescription of standards and requirements concerning food products.
Prior to finalization, the proposed amendments were published in the Gazette of India through Notification No. F.No. STD/SP-18/T(Vegan Foods) dated 21 December 2022. In accordance with the statutory procedure prescribed under Section 92(1), stakeholders and members of the public were invited to submit objections and suggestions within sixty days from the date the notification was made available.
The draft notification was placed in the public domain on 23 December 2022, thereby initiating the consultation period mandated under the Act.
Public Consultation and Evolution of the Regulatory Regime
The final amendment reflects FSSAI's consideration of representations received during the public consultation process. Such stakeholder engagement forms an integral part of the regulatory framework under the Food Safety and Standards Act and ensures that policy decisions are informed by industry concerns, consumer interests, and practical implementation considerations.
The amendment must be read alongside the principal Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Regulations, 2022, which were originally notified on 10 June 2022. Rather than creating an entirely new regulatory structure, the 2026 amendment supplements and strengthens the existing framework governing vegan food products in India.
Amendment to Regulation 4: Introduction of a Mandatory Vegan Logo
The most significant change introduced by the amendment concerns Regulation 4(2) of the Vegan Foods Regulations, 2022.
Under the amended provision, every package of vegan food will be required to display a prescribed vegan logo after obtaining the necessary approval from FSSAI. The amendment establishes a uniform visual identifier intended to assist consumers in easily recognizing vegan products and to prevent misleading claims regarding the vegan status of food items.
By introducing a standardized logo, FSSAI seeks to create greater clarity in the marketplace while promoting confidence among consumers who specifically choose vegan products for ethical, environmental, religious, or health-related reasons.
Design and Specifications of the Prescribed Logo
The notified logo consists of a green-coloured letter 'V', accompanied by a small plant or sprout positioned at the top centre of the symbol. The word 'VEGAN' appears beneath the 'V', and the entire design is enclosed within a green square border.
The standardized design is intended to create a distinctive and easily recognizable mark that can be uniformly applied across all vegan food products sold in India.
Dimensional Requirements
The notification prescribes detailed technical specifications for the logo, including precise measurements for each element:
- Thickness of the arms of the 'V': 7 mm
- Width of the 'V' at the top: 10 mm
- Width of the text box containing the word 'VEGAN': 7 mm
- Height of the text: 2 mm
- Size of the plant/sprout symbol: 3.25 mm
- Distance from the base of the 'V' to the plant symbol: 3.3 mm
- Gap between the 'V' and the word 'VEGAN': 1 mm
- Dimensions of the outer square border: 15 mm x 15 mm
Colour Specifications
To ensure uniformity across all applications, FSSAI has also prescribed specific colour values using the CMYK colour model:
- Cyan (C): 60
- Magenta (M): 0
- Yellow (Y): 89
- Black (K): 0
The use of this distinctive green shade reinforces the plant-based identity of vegan products while ensuring visual consistency throughout the market.
Compliance Obligations for Food Business Operators
The amendment imposes several important obligations on food business operators involved in the manufacture, import, distribution, or sale of vegan food products.
Key compliance requirements include:
- Incorporating the prescribed vegan logo into product packaging and labelling.
- Obtaining the requisite approval from FSSAI before displaying the logo.
- Ensuring that all vegan food products marketed after the effective date conform to the revised labelling standards.
- Undertaking packaging redesigns and regulatory preparations well in advance of implementation.
Failure to comply with the prescribed requirements may expose businesses to regulatory action under the Food Safety and Standards Act and associated regulations.
The implementation date of 1 July 2027 provides a transitional period that allows businesses adequate time to modify packaging materials, update compliance systems, and secure necessary approvals.
Strengthening Consumer Protection and Market Transparency
From a consumer perspective, the introduction of a mandatory vegan logo offers significant benefits.
A standardized visual identifier enables consumers to make informed purchasing decisions with greater confidence and reduces the possibility of confusion arising from inconsistent or unverified vegan claims. It also minimizes the risk of inadvertent consumption of ingredients derived from animal sources by individuals who follow vegan lifestyles.
As consumer demand for plant-based products continues to grow, transparent and reliable labelling mechanisms become increasingly important. The amendment therefore contributes to a more accountable marketplace by ensuring that products marketed as vegan can be readily identified through an officially approved symbol.
Alignment with International Labelling Trends
The amendment also reflects broader international developments in vegan food regulation. Several jurisdictions and certification bodies worldwide have adopted standardized vegan marks to improve consumer recognition and facilitate trust in plant-based products.
By mandating a uniform vegan logo, India joins a growing number of regulatory systems that recognize the importance of clear and verifiable labelling standards for emerging food categories. Such measures not only enhance domestic consumer confidence but may also support greater harmonization with global market practices.
Conclusion
The Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Amendment Regulations, 2026 represent an important advancement in India's regulatory approach to vegan food labelling. Through the introduction of a mandatory and standardized vegan logo, FSSAI has sought to strengthen consumer protection, improve transparency in the marketplace, and establish clear compliance standards for food business operators.
Rooted in the statutory framework of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and shaped through a process of public consultation, the amendment reflects a balanced and forward-looking regulatory response to the rapid growth of the vegan food sector. As the implementation date of 1 July 2027 approaches, businesses operating in this space should take proactive steps to understand the revised requirements and ensure timely compliance with the new labelling regime.
Citation: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Amendment Regulations, 2026, Notification No. F. No. SS-T0T1(NOTI)/1/2025-Standard-FSSAI, Gazette of India (Extraordinary), Part III, Section 4, dated 21 May 2026.
Source: https://fssai.gov.in/upload/notifications/2026/06/6a1fd4f01f0e0vegan_final.pdf
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