Vegetarian and non-vegetarian marks
Packaged food and toothpaste products sold in India are required to be labelled with a mandatory mark in order to be distinguished between lacto-vegetarian and non-vegetarian.[1] The symbol is in effect following the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Act of 2006, and got a mandatory status after the framing of the respective regulations (Food Safety and Standards [Packaging and Labelling] Regulation) in 2011.[1] According to the law, vegetarian food should be identified by a green symbol and non-vegetarian food with a brown symbol.[1]
Vegetarian and non-vegetarian marks | |
|---|---|
 The green dot symbol (left) identifies lacto-vegetarian food, and the brown dot symbol (right) identifies non-vegetarian food. | |
| Effective region | India / Sri Lanka / Pakistan |
| Effective since | 2006[1] |
| Product category | Packaged food products |
| Legal status | Mandatory |
| Mandatory since | 2011[1] |
Restaurants use voluntary Vegan Friendly mark to denote availability of vegan options. Packaged food manufacturers also use a variation of Vegan Friendly mark for their vegan offerings.
The fact that the symbols are identical in shape mean that a person with color blindness may not be able to distinguish them. It is recommended by some, to use a different shape in place of the brown dot.
References
- Gaur, V.N. (August 1, 2011). "Food Safety and standards (Packaging and Labelling) regulations, 2011" (PDF). Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Retrieved December 4, 2019. (Index page)