Vegans seek legally protected menu choice

Schools, hospitals and other public sector institutions should be required by law to provide at least one vegan food option on every menu every day, campaigners are asserting.

Go Vegan Scotland and the Vegan Society have started petitions to urge the Scottish, Welsh and UK Governments to become the first countries in Europe to enshrine a right to good quality, affordable, plant-based food in law.

They say that although veganism is a protected belief under the Equality Act 2010, many hospitals, schools, universities, councils and prisons fail to offer vegan food, with patients and schoolchildren "often going hungry". It is also in line with Government objectives including health, sustainability, the environment, affordability, local production and food security.

Research carried out by Go Vegan Scotland found instances of vegans not eating for days in hospital and children missing out on free meals due to lack of vegan options.

Louise Davies, head of campaigns, policy and research at the Vegan Society, commented: "The Government is responsible for ensuring that our public sector provides for vegans in the UK and the proposed legislation would assist in fulfilling that obligation.

"Provision for vegans in the public sector is lacking, with hospital patients and schoolchildren often going hungry.

"We hope that vegans and non-vegans alike will agree on the importance of our petition and join us in urging institutions to provide healthy and environmentally-friendly vegan food."

Barbara Bolton of Go Vegan Scotland added: "The Scottish Government has recognised that veganism is a protected moral conviction under European and international law, but has not taken any steps to ensure that vegans are provided for in our state institutions.

"The result is that many people, including children, are missing out on free meals and are being denied access to suitable food when they're dependent on the state to provide for them.

"This is not a matter of people being ‘picky’; for vegans, avoiding participation in animal use and killing is a fundamental moral conviction, protected under law."