The UK’s Vegetarian Society has called for Swiss food giant Nestlé to reformulate its confectionery product Smarties to make it suitable for vegetarians.
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At the Vegetarian Society’s annual awards, Smarties was named the winner of the Imperfect World category for products that are almost vegetarian, but not quite; red Smarties are coloured with cochineal from crushed beetles.
Vegetarians were asked to vote for products they would most like to see made completely vegetarian. Besides Smarties, this year’s nominations included Cadbury’s Bassett’s Liquorice Allsorts, which contain gelatine from animal bones, and Guinness, which is fined with isinglass from fish.
Crisp maker Walkers, winner of last year’s Imperfect World award for its non-vegetarian Walkers Cheese and Onion Crisps, responded by reformulating its recipe to make sure the product was suitable for vegetarians.
“There are some companies putting gremlins on our shopping lists – making products that at first glance are vegetarian, but then you look a little closer, do a little research and find that the sweets your toddler asks for or the beer your host offers you, actually use animal by-products,” said the Vegetarian Society’s chief executive, Tina Fox.
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By GlobalData“We know the deliciousness of these products doesn’t depend on the animal ingredients, and the Imperfect World award is a message to manufacturers to consider the alternatives,” she added.
