A report by law firm EMW reveals there was a 128% increase in trademarks for vegans food in the UK last year.
The UK saw a 128% increase in trademarks for vegan foods in 2019, according to a report by commercial law firm EMW LLP. Last year, there were 107 trademarks registered for plant-based products, up from 47 in 2018.
The companies that have trademarked vegan foods over the last few years have been Unilever, which owns Ben & Jerry’s and Pot Noodle. UK restaurants Honest Burgers and LEON have also been trademarking products like plant-based sauces and burgers.
EMW says the vegan food category has attracted large corporations to invest and launch products into the market, with examples including KFC, with its vegan burger and fried chicken and Greggs, famous for its vegan sausage rolls. Meanwhile, many companies are also seeking to trademark product names based on ‘Beyond Butter’, ‘Beyond Cheese’ and ‘Beyond Mince’.
“There are now more vegan products on supermarket shelves than ever before. Multi-national corporations have identified this as a fast-growing sector. They are competing to register their trademarks with the aim of capturing. They are defending a share of the market,” said Daisy Divoka, an associate for the firm.
“With a record number of people participating in Veganuary year on year. The trend towards vegan food shows no sign of abating anytime soon,” she added.
The report predicts that due to the coronavirus lockdown, individuals have been paying more attention to their diets. By making companies focus more on catering to their needs.
