General
VEG 1 is the nutritional vitamin and mineral supplement designed for vegans, by vegans. Launched back in 2005 and re-branded in 2021 with environmentally friendly plastic-free packaging, VEG 1 provides nutritional support alongside a healthy and balanced vegan diet, all for an affordable price. With a 6-month supply available for just £13.90, VEG 1 will cost you little over £2 per month, and offer EU nutrient reference values (NRVs) of vitamins B12, D3, iodine, selenium, B2, B6 and folic acid.
VEG 1 is:
- Chewable
- Affordable and reliable
- Designed to be taken once daily
- Available in orange and blackcurrant flavours
- Easy and convenient
- Completely plastic-free
It is important to chew VEG 1 to promote reliable absorption of its contents. The ideal way to use VEG 1 is to chew it during or immediately after a meal. The fat content of the meal may assist vitamin D absorption and the digestive process may give more consistent absorption of vitamin B12.
Yes. We test a sample of tablets from each batch of VEG 1 before it is released for sale and we also sometimes test tablets from old batches. This testing has demonstrated that the production of VEG 1 is reliable and that the ingredients are sufficiently stable over time. Iodine content in VEG 1 has been found to be much more consistent than found in published surveys of iodine supplements.
Yes. None of the ingredients in VEG 1 are problematic during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Indeed, its key nutrients (vitamin B12, iodine and vitamin D) are all particularly important during pregnancy. VEG 1 also contains folic acid which is recommended during pregnancy though the amount (200 µg) is less than that recommended during early pregnancy and while trying to conceive (400 µg).
Half of a VEG 1 tablet is suitable for children aged 3-12. Those 12+ can take the full tablet.
You can buy all VEG 1 varieties from our webshop, Etsy and eBay.
We also work with a network of wholesalers across the world to bring VEG 1 right to your doorstep. A list of all stockist locations can be found below.
UK
A F Blakemore
All Carrot No Stick
Alternative Stores
Arjuna
Daylesford Organic
Fareshares Food Co-Op
Hunts Food Group
SUMA
EU
Austria
Vegane Gesellschaft
Belgium
Kazidomi
Czech Republic
Vegalite
PURO shop
Denmark
Vegan Syndicate
Estonia
Eesti Vegan Selts
Finland
Xocovis
France
Boutique Vegestal
Fédération Végane
Forme and Zen
HACO SAS - NUOO
Le cri de la carotte
Mon Epicerie Paris
NL Selection
Official Vegan Shop
Pharmacie Bonneford
Un Monde Vegan
Vegetal Food
Netherlands
VEGA-LIFE
Veggie4u
Poland
Vegafit
Slovakia
Inowis
Switzerland
Eva's Apples
Fabulous! Vegan Shop
Non-EU
New Zealand
Christchurch Vegan Society
Delivery and returns
UK – Orders to the UK are sent via Royal Mail 48 hours postage.
Target: 1-2 working days (up to 10 working days)
Rest of world - Orders to the rest of the world are shipped using Royal Mail and adhere to the time frames below:
Target: 3-7 working days (up to 21 days)
Yes. All orders are now sent tracked via Royal Mail. Tracking information will be sent to the email address used to place your order.
We recommend checking that the email you have used for placing your order is correct, up to date and your most used email address.
We are unable to accept claims for lost parcels until Royal Mail guidelines on lost parcel time have passed.
UK 48 hours: Target 2 Working Days (Up to 10 days)
Rest of World: Target 3-7 Working Days depending on location (Up to 21 days)
If this timeframe has passed and your order has still not arrived, please email [email protected] quoting your order number and we will offer a free of charge replacement or a full refund.
You may be charged for handling fees and taxes as your order passes through customs. Any charges on a parcel must be paid by the person receiving the parcel. In most cases, any customs or import duties are charged once the parcel reaches its destination country.
The Vegan Society has no control over these charges and we can't tell you what the cost would be, as customs policies and import duties vary widely from country to country. We are not able to pay for or refund any of these charges. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Alternatively, you can try one of our EU stockists. You can find a full list of our stockists under the ‘Where can I buy VEG 1?’ question in our FAQs.
Returns are accepted within 14 days of the delivery date, as long as the tin is unopened. We do not accept returns of products that have been opened. If you wish to return an unopened tin, email us at [email protected] to let us know and please note that the postage cost of any return is the responsibility of the customer.
If the product is faulty, please let us know by emailing [email protected] and we will refund the full amount or offer a free of charge replacement.
Packaging
The packaging is 100% plastic-free and made from aluminium. Aluminium is the perfect packaging option for multivitamins. It has a low moisture transition rate and protects from reactive elements in the air, keeping VEG 1 fresh. Here are some facts about aluminium:
- Aluminium and other metals can be recycled infinitely, without any degradation in quality.
- An astonishing 80% of all metal ever produced in the world is still in use today.
- Metal packaging is recycled more than any other primary packaging material.
- 75% of all aluminium is recycled in the UK. In comparison, less than half of all plastic is recycled.
All postage materials used are also completely free of plastic. Visit this blog post to find out more.
Once you have finished a pot of VEG 1, the tin can be recycled. The great thing about metal is it can be recycled infinitely, without any degradation in quality. This quality also makes the tins great for re-purposing and up-cycling, and we encourage our customers to get crafty with their old tins! Check out some of our ideas how to do this, and if you do give it a go, we’d love to see your creation! Send any images to [email protected]
Nutrition
Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), iodine, selenium, vitamin B2, vitamin B6 and folic acid.
Cyanocobalamin is used because it is stable and it is readily converted in the body to methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin which are the two active forms of vitamin B12. Here is an independent commentary on the different forms of cobalamin (vitamin B12).
VEG 1 contains 0.625 grams (a sixth of a teaspoon) of sugar. Sugar is used because it provides a stable, palatable and chewable base for the tablets. These properties are important as chewing improves the reliability of vitamin B12 absorption and the supplement is intended for children as well as adults.
The only potential adverse effect of such a small amount of sugar would be to slightly increase risk of tooth decay and this can be minimised if VEG 1 is taken with or immediately after a meal.
We have looked at alternatives – including fruit extracts, stevia and xylitol –but have not found an equally satisfactory alternative. Fruit extracts were impractical due to instability. Stevia has a distinctive taste and there is a legal limit to the amount that can be used per kilo. To match the current sweetness level of VEG 1, we would need to exceed this. If xylitol is used at levels of over 10% of the total product weight the product has to carry the warning: “excessive consumption may cause laxative effects”.
Calcium intake can easily be low in vegan diets but this can be readily addressed by dietary choices, e.g. using fortified soy milks, calcium-set tofu and green leafy vegetables. Including calcium in VEG 1 would also conflict with palatability and chewability.
Dietary changes can easily improve the balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats in the diet. For example, sunflower/corn oil can be replaced with rapeseed oil. Fatty acid supplements are normally provided as oil-filled capsules so could not easily be combined with the other ingredients of VEG 1.
VEG 1 is free from gluten, wheat, yeast and lactose.
For more content relating to health and nutrition, please visit our VEG 1 nutrition FAQ's.
Contact us
For queries relating to your order, you can get in touch by emailing sales[at]vegansociety[dot]com or telephone at 0121 523 1730.