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Ethical brand ratings and accreditation since 2001

Sustainable Vegan And Vegetarian Brands

Which Vegan and Vegetarian brands are the most ethical and sustainable? For the answer, see our Ethical Vegetarian and Vegan Foods comparison table to compare brands’ scores.

The new normal: Vegetarian and vegan diets

In recent years, Animal Welfare and the subsequent environmental impact of meat and dairy farming have become increasingly concerning to many of us. The number of people adopting vegan and vegetarian diets has increased dramatically. It is estimated that there are approximately 88 million vegans in the world with tens of thousands of products approved by the Vegan Society’s trademark, including 18,000 food and drink items. But buying truly sustainable vegan food is trickier than you might think. The GOOD Shopping Guide has been independently researching and rating brands on ethical criteria since 2001, making our Ethical Vegetarian and Vegan Foods comparison table one of the most trusted resources for ethical vegan food UK choices.

Even if you are not a vegan, many ethical consumers want to support sustainable vegan food brands and eat meat alternatives a few times a week. Veganism is no longer a fringe trend — it is mainstream. According to YouGov data commissioned by Veganuary, over a third of UK adults planned to buy plant-based products in January 2026, and 32% of those said they prefer whole food-based protein options such as beans, lentils, tempeh and tofu.

Consequently, we’ve seen a massive rise in vegan and vegetarian brands. Tasty and trendy additions include plant-based cheeses, jackfruit meat-free ‘pulled pork’ and banana blossom ‘chicken strips’. Whatever kind of food you could possibly dream of, there will very likely be a vegan alternative.

The growth in consideration and compassion for the Environment and Animals is certainly encouraging from an ethical standpoint. However, the vegetarian and vegan food brands are plagued with many unethical issues and practices. For example, many meat alternative brands are actually owned by various meat and butchery companies. Use of palm oil as an ingredient by vegan and vegetarian brands results in deforestation and loss of ecosystems, as does the use of unsustainably sourced crops, such as soy. For a full breakdown of how we assess vegan and vegetarian food brands across all our ethical criteria, visit our Ethical Vegetarian and Vegan Foods comparison table and our How We Rate page.

Our research into meat alternative brands: Which suppliers make the most ethical and sustainable vegan food?

Our team of independent researchers have produced an analysis of the sector, and the results are in with some surprising findings. Veganism and vegetarianism is big business these days, and because of this, many brands are guilty of vegan food greenwashing and misleading consumers. Let’s have a look at Vivera, for example. Vivera is a plant-based meat alternative brand, whose tagline states “life is better when you eat less meat”. However, Vivera is owned by JBS S.A., a Brazilian business that is the largest meat processing company in the world. Many vegans and vegetarians buy plant-based meat alternatives because they believe that the slaughter or harm of animals is wrong. However, JBS S.A. still ultimately benefit from Vivera’s profits. JBS S.A. and Vivera is just one example of this ethical hypocrisy. We recommend that prior to purchasing a product, vegan and vegetarian consumers check the parent company listed for each brand in our Ethical Vegan & Vegetarian Foods comparison table. In addition, check how each brand scores for Animal Welfare to avoid supporting practices involving the slaughter or harm of animals.

It is also worth considering the degree of processing in plant-based products. Many meat alternatives are classified as ultra-processed foods — containing a long list of additives, stabilisers and flavour enhancers that may have implications for long-term health. The NHS has flagged ultra-processed food consumption as a growing public health concern. Choosing whole food vegan options — such as tofu, tempeh, legumes and wholegrains — alongside processed alternatives is a sensible approach for consumers who want to prioritise both ethics and nutrition.

In 2026, the plant-based sector is also seeing significant growth in fungal and fermentation-based proteins. Quorn, one of the most recognisable UK brands, uses mycoprotein — a protein derived from a natural fungus through fermentation — which is high in fibre and low in saturated fat. However, Quorn is owned by Monde Nissin, a large Philippine food conglomerate, and its ethical score in our comparison table reflects concerns around parent company transparency and environmental reporting. Consumers seeking genuinely ethical alternatives should cross-reference brand scores in our Ethical Vegan & Vegetarian Foods comparison table before purchasing.

Pesticides in meat alternatives

In addition to Animal Welfare, there are many other ethical concerns about some popular meat alternative brands. This includes our criteria for the Environment and People. These ethical concerns largely relate to the ingredient sourcing for so-called ‘sustainable vegan food’. Some vegan and vegetarian brands use ingredients that are genetically modified or non-organic, treated with harmful pesticides. Pesticides can have devastating effects on the surrounding biosphere and on the workers or local people who have direct contact with toxic chemicals. Friends of the Earth has consistently highlighted the links between pesticide use in industrial agriculture and the decline of pollinators, soil health and water quality — concerns that apply equally to plant-based food production.

Ethical vegetarian and vegan food, sustainable vegan food, GMO, GM crops

Vegetarian and vegan food brands and GM crops

Genetically modified (GM/GMO) crops or transgenic crops, are species whose DNA has been artificially changed or combined with others. Often, GM crops are modified with the purpose of resisting disease, producing higher yields or having specific properties that can be used in medicines and pharmaceuticals. GM produce has only been available to consumers since the nineties, and so research is still in its early stages. GM crops are different from traditional artificial modification of crops, where plants will be selected and cross-bred for their properties and yield.

There are also some health concerns around genetically modified crops, which are currently the subject of lots of research and ongoing, long term studies. Additionally, large and controversial companies (such as Monsanto, now a subsidiary of Bayer) are suppliers, patenters and manufacturers of GMOs.

Whilst it’s up to consumers to make their own choices about GM crop consumption, it’s important that we are able to make well-informed decisions about the food that we buy. In the UK, foods that contain GMOs are required to be labelled as such to support consumer choice. Check our Ethical Vegan & Vegetarian Foods comparison table to see which brands contain GMOs.

Why is soy bad for the environment?

Many vegan or vegetarian brands use soy products. This is a crop that is often genetically modified. If you have chosen a vegan or vegetarian diet because you are concerned about the environmental costs of agriculture, you may want to research more about genetically modified soy.

But the problems with soy don’t just stop there. Many companies opt to source unsustainable soy, which is a major driver of deforestation. WWF has documented soy as one of the leading drivers of deforestation in South America, where vast areas of the Amazon and Cerrado are cleared to grow soy for both animal feed and food products. Check a brand’s score for its Environmental Report on The GOOD Shopping Guide’sEthical Vegan & Vegetarian Foods comparison table, as this shows proof that meat alternative brands can account for their environmental impact and mitigation of harm.

Choosing sustainable vegan and vegetarian brands: our recommendations

Fortunately, there are a wide variety of brands that are paving the way for sustainable ethical plant-based food options. When looking for the best ethical choice, we suggest you use our Ethical Vegan & Vegetarian Foods comparison table as a starting point to get a detailed overview of a brand’s performance across the areas of Environment, Animals and People. When searching for proof of ethical claims, we recommend checking a brand’s independent third-party credentials and awards. This includes Ethical Accreditation from The GOOD Shopping Guide, which assures ethics across all areas — find out more about the benefits of Ethical Accreditation — in addition to single-issue certifications from organisations such as The Vegan Society, Fairtrade and the Soil Association.

Among the strongest-performing brands in our Ethical Vegan & Vegetarian Foods comparison table are The Tofoo Co., Biona and VFC, all of which score above our ethical benchmark on environmental reporting, vegan certification and ingredient sourcing criteria. These brands demonstrate that sustainable meat alternatives UK consumers can trust are available and commercially accessible.

As well as buying vegan products, many vegan or vegetarian meals can be made at home from organic vegetables or wholefoods. This can be a great option if sustainable vegan food is not widely available to buy in your local supermarket.

Your choice of vegan and vegetarian food sits within a broader set of ethical food decisions. See our Ethical Vegan Milk comparison table and our Ethical Food & Drink comparison table for further guidance on making sustainable food choices. For brands that have earned The GOOD Shopping Guide’s Ethical Accreditation across every food and drink category, visit our Top 200 Ethical Businesses page.

See our Ethical Vegetarian and Vegan Foods comparison table to compare brands

The Good Shopping Guide has researched popular vegetarian and vegan food brands. But how do you favourite brands rank? Click on any brand name to read more details about how each vegetarian and vegan food brands consider the Environment, Animals and People.

The Tofoo Co., Fry’s, GranoVita, Moving Mountains, Strong Roots, Verdino, Biona, Lazy Meals, No Meat, Oumph!, Veggie Day, Future Farm, Meatless Farm, THIS, VBites, Beyond Meat, Cauldron, GoodLife, Quorn, Linda McCartney, Gardein, The Vegetarian Butcher, Tivall, Clearspring, Devil’s Kitchen, Like, Gosh and Vivera.

What are the main ethical concerns surrounding vegan and vegetarian food brands?

How do ethical rating systems evaluate vegan and vegetarian food brands?

Can a vegan or vegetarian food brand still be considered unethical?

Which vegan and vegetarian food brands score well on ethical and sustainability criteria?

Why do some popular plant‑based food brands have lower ethical scores?

What practical steps can consumers take when choosing ethical vegan and vegetarian foods?

Is Clearspring an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Devil’s Kitchen an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Biona an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Loma Linda an ethical vegan food brand?

Is GranoVita an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Future Farm an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Lazy Meals an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Like an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Oumph! an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Verdino an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Fry’s an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Meatless Farm an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Moving Mountains an ethical vegan food brand?

Is No Meat an ethical vegan food brand?

Is VBites an ethical vegan food brand?

Is VFC an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Wicked Kitchen an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Heura an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Juicy Marbles an ethical vegan food brand?

Is La Vie an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Cauldron an ethical vegan food brand?

Is THIS an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Quorn an ethical vegan food brand?

Is All Plants an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Gosh an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Beyond Meat an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Goodlife an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Linda McCartney an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Strong Roots an ethical vegan food brand?

Is The Vegetarian Butcher an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Vivera an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Tivall an ethical vegan food brand?

Is Gardein an ethical vegan food brand?