The association filed a complaint on behalf of a vegan family against a municipal daycare center that prepared āregularā lunch packages during the afternoon break, but no vegetarian ones. Furthermore, parents were not allowed to bring their own lunch packages for their children.
Therefore, the lawsuit against the school board was based on the complaint that the vegan family was being discriminated against because they were prevented from practicing their way of life.
If their daughter were to attend the daycare, the family would not be able to adhere to their moral standpoint of not harming animals, the judge ruled. The decision acknowledged that vegans have the right not to ābe treated worse than people without vegan beliefs who are in a comparable situation.ā
Access to vegan meals in public sector institutions, such as kindergartens, has been āa challenge for yearsā in many towns and villages in Denmark, according to the Vegetarian Association. While some Danish hospitals or kindergartens prepare excellent vegan food, other public institutions in other municipalities do not offer this at all.
The association is proud to have brought this caseāthe first of its kind in Denmarkāto court and won. A similar case is currently ongoing at another Danish court involving a hospital canteen. In this first case, the family was awarded symbolic damages of 1500 euros and the municipality will also have to pay their legal costs.