Are Skittles Vegan and cruelty-free?
From their bright hues to their many flavors, the Skittles candy has dominated the market for decades. And for those keeping a vegan lifestyle, the obvious question is, Are Skittles vegan? Despite the ingredients sounding free from all animal-derived contents, there remain ethical issues to make them unconducive to strict vegans.
You can try these alternatives also:
In this article, we’ll break down the ingredients, ethical concerns, and alternatives to help you make an informed decision.
Are Skittles Vegan?
The short answer is yes, Skittles are technically vegan as they do not contain any direct animal products. However, some ingredients raise ethical concerns, making them questionable for those who prioritize cruelty-free products. To fully understand why, let’s analyze Skittles’ ingredients and production methods.
To learn more about the ingredients used in Skittles, please visit the Skittles Official Website.
The interest of the people has remained constant albeit we can say a slight increase can be observed as seen from google trend:-
First produced in the year 1974 in Britain, skittles was introduced in The United States in 1979.
A relative of MnM’s, Skittles is owned by Mars Incorporation and differs from their relative in their taste, texture, and color, albeit having the same shape.
Like every other famous confectionery, it also has a famous tagline,” Taste the rainbow”; a tagline summarizing the candy in the best possible manner.
Read also : Are sour patch kids vegan-friendly, cruelty-free candies?
The last few decades have seen many people adopting a vegan lifestyle (a lifestyle with prohibits the use of any animal products and advocated for limiting exploitation of animals), with many more converting to it on a daily basis.
Hence, below we will analyze the famous confectionery so that our vegan audience can know if their favorite confectionery is in line with their beliefs or not.
Know Skittles Ingredients
While the ingredient list for Skittles has some minor differences between the U.S. and U.K. versions, here are the most common ingredients found in both:
- Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- Palm Oil
- Citric Acid
- Natural and Artificial Flavors
- Artificial Colors (such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue 1)
At first glance, none of these ingredients are directly from animals. However, a closer look at sugar, palm oil, and artificial colors reveals some ethical issues.
1. Sugar: Vegan but Questionable
One concern with sugar is its method of processing. Some sugar processed in the United States uses a process called “bone char”, an animal derived byproduct of which helps the sugar bleach a pure white.
Whether or not the sugar for Skittles has been made through this means, many will not consume the stuff unless specified to be either organic or otherwise unrefined.
2. Palm Oil: An Important Ethical Issue
Skittles have a product called palm oil, which is a plant-based oil. Although this makes it technically vegan, the effects of production of palm oil create an ethical problem. The palm oil industry has been associated with:
- Deforestation
- Habitat destruction for endangered species
- Exploitative labor
3. Artificial Colors: Involves Animal Testing
Skittles are brightly colored candies, and their colors come from artificial dyes like Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue 1.
Although these colors are synthetic and do not contain animal-derived ingredients, they have been tested on animals in the past.
This raises ethical concerns for those who avoid products associated with animal cruelty. More information on artificial colors and animal testing can be found at The Humane Society.
Skittles and Cruelty-Free Concerns
Even though Skittles do not contain direct animal ingredients, they cannot be considered 100% cruelty-free due to:
1.Animal Testing by the Parent Company
Skittles is owned by Mars Inc., which has been involved in animal testing on some of its products. Although Skittles itself isn’t tested on animals, some ethical vegans cannot support a company that participates in animal testing.
Learn more about Mars Inc. at Cruelty Free Investing.
2.Unknown Sources of Flavoring Agents
The ingredient list includes “natural and artificial flavors”, but no details are given about their sources. Some artificial flavors are derived from plant-based sources, while others might come from animal-based ingredients.
These factors make Skittles vegan in composition but not necessarily cruelty-free.
Conclusion: Should Vegans Eat Skittles?
So, are Skittles vegan? Yes, but they are not cruelty-free. They do not contain animal ingredients, but palm oil, artificial color testing, and Mars Inc. involvement in animal testing create a gray area for strict vegans.
You can enjoy Skittles as a vegan treat if you’re comfortable with these factors. But if you want to prioritize cruelty-free and ethically sourced ingredients, you might want to consider other vegan candies.
For a conscious eater, always research and check for ingredients and try to find those who are keen on ethical practices, such as using sustainable or green practices by brands.
Vegan alternatives for skittles:
If you’re a vegan who likes to make sure that what you’re consuming is absolutely vegan friendly, we will provide you with some alternatives so you can hold onto your beliefs while also enjoying the taste of candy that you love:
100% vegan, gluten-free, and made out of real whole fruit, these rolls of flavors provide the taste of candy with the comfort of knowing that what you’re consuming is in line with your beliefs.
Coming in four different flavors, these are perfect for lunchboxes, backpacks, and even as a healthy snack on the go.
YumEarth Organic Vegan Fruit Snacks:
As the name suggests, these vegan snacks are organic and vegan and contain no artificial flavors and dyes. Containing five snack packs in it, these snack packs are perfect for class parties, school snacks, and as a lunch snack.
A 100% vegan-friendly confectionery, consisting of tasty candies with a jelly-like nature made out of real fruit juices, and as a result, these don’t even contain any artificial flavors and are hence a great candy for a true vegan with a soft spot for candies.
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