Dados do Trabalho

Título

WHAT VEGAN LABEL REPRESENTS FOR VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS IN BRAZIL?

Introdução

The vegan label(VL) is present in several countries, including Brazil, and it is provided by certifying entities, which should guarantee quality control. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of vegetarians/vegans adults about certified vegan foods in Brazil.

Material e Métodos

Focus groups (FG)(analysis using content analysis) and an online questionnaire(OQ)(R software) were used.

Resultados e Discussão

Vegetarians (n=13) and vegans (n=9) participated in four FG and 537 participants completed the questionnaire. The list of ingredients is the most frequently observed purchase criterion. Most of participants knew the VL and did not associate it with healthiness. However, its presence influenced them and has already been decisive for their purchase. In OQ, the majority of participants(69%) frequently check certification labels and 50% frequently buy food with certification. Most of participants (FG-55% and OQ-65%) believe that products with VL do not contain traces of food from animal origin, but a large proportion are unaware of this information. Also, in the OQ, 37.4% indicated that they would not buy a product with the label if they knew that there might be traces of food from animal origin, showing that most people were unaware of the certification process, given that products with VL can contain traces. Some of the participants are critical of the label, but its presence induces or has induced them to buy at some point. This information reinforces the importance of labeling in the purchasing decision. There is also a concern for the environment, associating the presence of VL as a guarantee of a more environmentally friendly food.

Conclusão

However, vegan food, when industrialized, is not necessarily sustainable, depending on the type of packaging material or how the final product is transported. This is also not a criterion in the certification. Some vegans are critical of the criteria for obtaining the label, since products from companies that do not share the same ethical values as veganism are certified. As conclusion, the label has an impact on purchasing decisions. However, vegetarians are not fully aware of the certification process, since they associate the certified products with environmentally friendly, or without traces of food of animal origin.