How New International Standards Could Reshape Plant-Based Marketing

From vegconomist.com

A landmark has just been set in the plant-based food industry: for the first time, an international standard has been developed for ‘plant-based’. The International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) has finalised its long-anticipated framework – Plant-based foods and food ingredients – Definitions and technical criteria for labelling and claims – and the implications for brands, regulators, and consumers could be profound.

ProVeg International has been directly involved in shaping this development. Over the past three years, ProVeg’s Martine van Haperen (Food Industry Expert) represented public interest in the ISO working group, ensuring that the plant-based sector had a strong voice at the table. The outcome? A standard that provides clarity where confusion and misuse have long reigned.

What the standard says

The ISO framework distinguishes between two categories:

• Category One: Plant-based foods containing no animal ingredients – these foods need to have a plant-based characterising ingredient such as legumes, nuts, vegetables or fruit and can be labelled ‘plant-based.’ This category also allows the use of cultivated egg and dairy made with microbes.
• Category Two: Foods containing limited and conditional use of animal ingredients – these cannot be labelled ‘plant-based,’ except with a qualifier (for example, ‘plant-based vegetarian’ or terms like ‘plant-strong’).

For the industry, this is significant. Until now, ‘plant-based’ could be (and often was) applied loosely, risking consumer confusion and eroding trust. By giving a standard, the ISO reinforces consumer confidence while helping companies market their products more credibly.

Image supplied by ProVeg International

Why it matters for brands

Research consistently shows that ‘plant-based’ resonates more strongly with mainstream consumers than terms like ‘vegan’ or ‘meatless.’ A YouGov UK poll in 2024 and the EU-funded Smart Protein Project both confirmed that ‘plant-based’ is the most appealing claim across diverse markets. With ISO’s backing, brands can leverage this high-value label with greater certainty – provided they meet the stricter criteria.

As ProVeg’s Martine van Haperen explains: “The ISO standard provides clear guidance for manufacturers and retailers worldwide to preserve and promote ‘plant-based’ as a claim that is widely trusted and appreciated by consumers.”

Looking ahead

Although ISO standards are voluntary, they carry weight in shaping national regulation and corporate labelling policies. For brands, the message is clear: now is the time to audit labelling strategies, ensure compliance, and align product development with Category One wherever possible. Doing so not only future-proofs portfolios but also strengthens consumer trust in one of the most commercially powerful terms in today’s food industry.

Read the full ProVeg analysis on the New Food Hub here, and for more support, get in touch with ProVeg at comms@proveg.org.

https://vegconomist.com/marketing-and-media/how-new-international-standards-could-reshape-plant-based-marketing/