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What does suitable for vegetarians mean on sweets?
Suitable for vegetarians is a useful line on a bag of sweets, because it rules out gelatine at a glance. Here is what the phrase should mean, what it does not promise, and how it differs from vegan.
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Suitable for vegetarians is a handy line to find on a bag of sweets. The main thing it tells you is that the sweets contain no gelatine, the animal product at the heart of many chewy sweets. But it is worth knowing what the phrase does and does not promise.
What it should mean
There is no legal definition of vegetarian food in UK law, but food must not be labelled in a misleading way. In 2006 the Food Standards Agency published guidance on the words vegetarian and vegan, drawn up after consulting the Vegetarian Society and the Vegan Society.
The guidance said vegetarian should not be used for foods that are, or are made from, or with the aid of, products derived from animals that have died or been slaughtered. For sweets, that rules out gelatine, which is made from the skin, bones and connective tissue of slaughtered animals: see what is gelatine made from?
What vegetarian sweets can still contain
Vegetarianism accepts products from living animals, such as milk, eggs and honey. So a sweet labelled suitable for vegetarians may still contain:
- milk or butter, as in toffee and fudge
- egg white, as in some nougat
- honey
- beeswax, used as a glaze
Vegetarian is not vegan
Vegan goes further. The same 2006 guidance said vegan should not be used for foods made from or with the aid of animals or animal products, including products from living animals. Vegans avoid milk, eggs, honey and beeswax, and additives made from insects, such as shellac and cochineal: see what sweets are vegan in the UK?
The carmine question
Carmine, also called cochineal or E120, is a red colour made from insects. It can make a product unacceptable to vegetarian or vegan consumers, so check the ingredients if it matters to you: see what is carmine?
What it does not promise
A vegetarian label is about ingredients, not allergies. It does not mean a sweet is free from milk or eggs, and it is not a guarantee against traces of other ingredients: see what does may contain mean on sweets?
An example
Recipes can differ between countries. Starburst, for example, is labelled suitable for vegetarians in the UK, while the American version contains gelatine. So always read the label on the pack you are buying.
We sell vegan gummy bears and vegan fizzy cola bottles in our pick and mix, which are suitable for vegetarians as well as vegans.
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Questions and answers
What does suitable for vegetarians mean?
That the food is not made from, or with the aid of, products from animals that have died or been slaughtered. For sweets, that mainly means no gelatine. There is no legal definition, but the Food Standards Agency set out this meaning in guidance in 2006.
Are vegetarian sweets vegan?
Not necessarily. Vegetarian sweets can contain milk, eggs, honey or beeswax, which vegans avoid. Vegan labels go further, ruling out all animal products, including those from living animals.
Can vegetarian sweets contain carmine?
Carmine, also called cochineal or E120, is a red colour made from insects. It can make a product unacceptable to vegans and to vegetarians too, so check the ingredients if that matters to you.
Sources
- New labelling guidance taps growing vegetarian demand, FoodNavigator
- Vegan food labelling, GOV.UK
- Veganism, Wikipedia
- Cochineal, Wikipedia
- Gelatin, Wikipedia
- Starburst (candy), Wikipedia
- Nougat, Wikipedia
- Fudge, Wikipedia
Keep reading
- Questions people askAre Jelly Babies vegetarian?Classic Bassett's Jelly Babies are not vegetarian, because they contain gelatine, which comes from slaughtered animals. How to find vegetarian jelly sweets.
- Questions people askWhat sweets are gelatine free?Boiled sweets, rock and sherbet rarely need gelatine, and some chewy sweets have dropped it, from Fruit Pastilles to Percy Pigs. How to check.
- Questions people askWhat sweets are vegan in the UK?Fruit Pastilles, Fruit Gums, Jelly Tots and Percy Pigs are all now vegan. What to check on the label, and why recipes keep changing.
- Questions people askWhat is gelatine made from?Gelatine is made from collagen from animal skin, bones and connective tissue, mostly pigs and cattle. Why it matters for vegetarians, Muslims and Jews.
- Questions people askWhat is carmine?Carmine, E120, is a deep red colour made from cochineal insects that live on cactus. It colours sweets, drinks and lipstick. Why vegans avoid it.
- Questions people askWhat does may contain mean on sweets?A may contain warning means traces of an allergen could have got in by accident. It is voluntary, and not the same as the allergens in the ingredients.