Lidl Becomes First Major Retailer To Use ‘Gold Standard’ Plant-Based Trademark

Lidl has become the first major retailer to use The Vegetarian Society’s Plant-Based Trademark, which is considered the "gold standard" of accreditation for meat-free products. The budget supermarket chain will display the trademark’s logo on its Vemondo Plant! range's packaging, which includes plant-based ingredients, vegetable-based products, and vegan ready meals. The Plant-Based Trademark ensures that all items bearing it have a "key plant-based characteristic" and contain no animal-based ingredients.

The Vegetarian Society, a UK-based charity with nearly 130 years of history, introduced the Plant-Based Trademark at the end of last year. Lidl's expansion of its Vemondo Plant! range with 28 new items in October reflects the growing demand for plant-based products in the market. The supermarket aims to make 25 percent of its protein sales from plant-based products by 2030, responding to the increasing consumer interest in plant-based options and the desire for easy-to-read labels like the Plant-Based Trademark.