# A guide to vegetarian sweets

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## Summary

For vegetarians, gelatine is the main thing to avoid, and the Vegetarian Society also rules out insect products such as carmine and shellac. What to check.

## Description

Vegetarianism rejects meat but accepts other products of animal origin, such as milk, eggs and honey. For sweets, the big exception is gelatine.
Gelatine: the main problem
Gelatine is made from collagen in the skin, bones and connective tissue of animals, so it is a product of slaughter. In 2006 the Food Standards Agency published guidance saying vegetarian should not be used for foods made from, or with the help of, animals that have died or been slaughtered. So a sweet containing gelatine is not vegetarian: see what is gelatine made from?
Sweet by sweet
Boiled sweets, rock and sherbet. Hard sweets are made mostly of sugar and rarely need gelatine, but check the glaze and colours: see what sweets are gelatine free?Gummies and jellies. Often set with gelatine, although pectin, starch and agar versions exist: see what is in a jelly sweet?Marshmallows and foam sweets. Commonly whipped with gelatine or egg white. Egg white suits vegetarians; gelatine does not: see what are foam sweets made of?Liquorice. Its binder can include gelatine, as well as starch, flour or gum arabic.Chocolate, fudge and toffee. Milk and butter are fine for vegetarians, so check these for other ingredients.Red sweets. Check for carmine, also called cochineal or E120, made from insects: see what is carmine?Shiny sweets. Check the glazing agent. Shellac, E904, is made by insects; carnauba wax is plant based; beeswax is from bees: see what is glazing agent in sweets?
Labels and trademarks
There is no legal definition of vegetarian food in UK law, but labels must not mislead: see what does suitable for vegetarians mean on sweets?
The Vegetarian Society's own trademark goes further. Products carrying it must not contain anything made from any part of the body of a living or dead animal, which rules out gelatine, insects, shellac, royal jelly and any by product of slaughter. Only free range eggs may be used, and makers must take reasonable steps to prevent cross contamination with non vegetarian products.
Vegan sweets suit vegetarians too
A sweet that is properly vegan contains no animal ingredients at all, so it also suits vegetarians: see a guide to vegan sweets Our pick and mix includes vegan gummy bears and vegan fizzy cola bottles, and every sweet card shows its full ingredients before you buy.

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