The Vegetarian Society Approved trademark is the UK's most widely recognised veg

etarian symbol. If you see the symbol on packaging and in restaurants, you can b
e confident that the product or food has undergone stringent checks to meet our
vegetarian criteria.

To be approved a product must fulfill all of the following criteria:

Be free from animal flesh (meat, fowl, fish or shellfish), meat or bone stoc
k, animal or carcass fats, gelatine, aspic or any other ingredients resulting fr
om animal slaughter.
Contain only free-range eggs, where eggs are used.
Be free from genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
There must be no cross-contamination with non-vegetarian products during the
production process.
Be cruelty-free - no animal testing is permitted.
The Vegetarian Society has details of vegetarian groups Local Groups in many dif
ferent parts of the country and many welcome new members.
If you are new to vegetarianism, or just thinking about changing your diet, a lo
cal group can give you a lot of encouragement and moral support. They also have
first-hand knowledge about where to eat out or shop for vegetarian products in y
our area.