We, the undersigned..

Thoushaltnot · 06-10-2009 8:07pm #1

An interesting issue has been thrown up a few times in the recent past - Gubbeen changing the rennet they use to the dead animal one (as did Castelli with their Mozzarella), Hell pizzeria frying their wedges in the same oil as their chicken, Tesco discontinuing some good stuff, heck, I even heard that Alpro, without notice, altered the ingredients of their custard/dessert from vegan to vegetarian and then, without fanfare, back to vegan again.

I'm thinking now of a "Whistleblower" style thread but for the time being how do ppl feel about petition style complaints/requests to change vs. a bunch of individual emails/letters?

Any recommendations/warnings/advice?

Elliemental · 06-10-2009 8:16pm

I don`t mind these companies changing thier ingredients so much (it is a pain in the arse though), just so long as they`re open and honest about it. I was happily consuming some Nestle products for a few months, before I found out they`d suddenly decided to start using an animal enzyme in the same products. If we had some sort of database we could refer too. Just clear, concise information, basically.

06-10-2009 8:20pm

Say what about animal enzymes in stuff that is almost chocolate?

Elliemental · 06-10-2009 8:24pm

Moonbaby wrote: »

Say what about animal enzymes in stuff that is almost chocolate?

I was happily stuffing myself with Maltesers, and they have an animal enzyme in them. :mad: I only really liked Maltesers as a sweet treat, but the same enzyme is apparently used in other confectionary products of theirs such as mars bars. It caused a big fuss at the time, so I`m not sure if they have since changed the ingredients back.

06-10-2009 8:44pm

Elliemental wrote: »

I was happily stuffing myself with Maltesers, and they have an animal enzyme in them. :mad: I only really liked Maltesers as a sweet treat, but the same enzyme is apparently used in other confectionary products of theirs such as mars bars. It caused a big fuss at the time, so I`m not sure if they have since changed the ingredients back.

I've just checked...apparently Current Malteasers are suitable for veggies....but Milky ways aren't.

Elliemental · 06-10-2009 8:49pm

Moonbaby wrote: »

I've just checked...apparently Current Malteasers are suitable for veggies....but Milky ways aren't.

Ooh! So I can go back on the Maltesers then:D I take it you`re more of a Milky Way person? Commiserations.

06-10-2009 9:02pm

Well I was more upset at the idea that Malteasers were off the menu. :P

Ok so current info for Mars products.

These are Veggie.

GALAXY MINSTRELS
GALAXY RIPPLE
GALAXY milk chocolate products excluding those with other inclusions
GALAXY Smooth Dark
MALTESERS - milk chocolate
MARS - standard, Duo and Snacksize
REVELS - all components
SNICKERS - standard, Duo and Snacksize
TRACKER - all varieties

These aren't.

M&M's
BOUNTY
FLYTE
MARS DELIGHT
MILKY WAY
TOPIC
TWIX

Elliemental · 06-10-2009 9:23pm

Moonbaby wrote: »

These are Veggie.

GALAXY MINSTRELS

Now I`m happy! They`re heaven.:D

Thoushaltnot · 06-10-2009 9:27pm

That's nice, dearies but have you got something more on-topic for us

Have ye written any emails about products that should be/used to be to the manufacturers? How did ye get on? Would a www.petitionsonline.com type of list appeal more?

That sort of thing.

And WTF - Bounty is NOT veggie! @~*&£"! It used to be VEGAN, FFS!!! :eek:

06-10-2009 9:36pm

Thoushaltnot wrote: »

That's nice, dearies but have you got something more on-topic for us

Have ye written any emails about products that should be/used to be to the manufacturers? How did ye get on? Would a www.petitionsonline.com type of list appeal more?

That sort of thing.

And WTF - Bounty is NOT veggie! @~*&£"! It used to be VEGAN, FFS!!! :eek:

Sorry Thoushaltnot, I misinterpreted the point of the thread.
I thought we were creating awareness about things to stay away from.

Personally I think individual queries are more hassle for them to answer, and therefore more likely to see results.

Absurdum · 06-10-2009 9:40pm

I like how Sainsbury's label their own brands vegetarian or vegan as appropriate, I wish a similar labelling policy would be adopted across the board. Many brands don't even have "Suitable for Vegetarians" or allergy advice on them :mad:

Tar.Aldarion · 06-10-2009 10:01pm

I'll miss bulmers, it's been with me always, good and bad.

Thoushaltnot · 06-10-2009 10:15pm

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

I'll miss bulmers, it's been with me always, good and bad.

Have you emailed (hassled) them? I think I have but it was a whileen ago.

Thoushaltnot · 06-10-2009 10:20pm

Moonbaby wrote: »

Sorry Thoushaltnot, I misinterpreted the point of the thread.
I thought we were creating awareness about things to stay away from.

Personally I think individual queries are more hassle for them to answer, and therefore more likely to see results.

I think my original post may have been a bit confusing. My bad. Sorry, babes.

This thread is about hassling 'the man' effectively, to push our vegetarian ingredients agenda. :rolleyes: I 'll start t'other whistleblower one now.

Tar.Aldarion · 06-10-2009 10:22pm

Thoushaltnot wrote: »

Have you emailed (hassled) them? I think I have but it was a whileen ago.

Yep I emailed them and they said it was not vegetarian.

Thoushaltnot · 06-10-2009 10:39pm

Ah, but did you tell them that that makes Baby Jeebus cry, you will now have to stop buying their cider, even though it's your tipple of choice - you and a bunch of your friends? And buy competitor's cider instead.

I had to explain to yet another disappointed veg*n at the weekend why Bulmers was not veggie.

Tar.Aldarion · 06-10-2009 10:41pm

Yes I did indeed tell them that.

sweet-rasmus · 06-10-2009 11:07pm

Thoushaltnot wrote: »

I even heard that Alpro, without notice, altered the ingredients of their custard/dessert from vegan to vegetarian and then, without fanfare, back to vegan again.

hold the phone!! i have just started eating this stuff. details please!

Thoushaltnot · 07-10-2009 7:07am

sweet-rasmus wrote: »

hold the phone!! i have just started eating this stuff. details please!

It came up in conversation with a staff member in one of my local health food stores. Being vegan, he reads all labels, all the time. He didn't specify how recent this was, just that they did advise anyone buying it that it was nolonger vegan. They must have been short on some ingredient at the time and I think it was egg that they used for a bit.

But yeah, don't take anything for granted.

Thoushaltnot · 07-10-2009 7:17am

Alpro was bought out on the 22nd Sept by a dairty co.

Details and a discussion here http://sl-si.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=2204533739&topic=13353&post=95819;

Accidentally typed 'dairty', leaving it in for humourous effect.

sweet-rasmus · 07-10-2009 10:14am

oh no!

rubadub · 07-10-2009 10:19am

Thoushaltnot wrote: »

you and a bunch of your friends? And buy competitor's cider instead.

problem is no other cider is remotely like bulmers. I have heard people saying heineken is vegan, but is the heineken brewed in Ireland vegan? this is a point people should not, recipes will change all around the world so I expect many things are not veggie/vegan that people presume are. Bottles & cans of heineken are brewed in holland, but the draught is brewed here. For reasons I have yet to hear alcohol manufacturers do not have to disclose ingredients on the label.

In another thread I mentioned that it would be in manufacturers interests to lie, or purposely "legally mislead" people. Also are there laws in place to prosecute liars, intentional or not? Why would you presume manufacturers are knowledgeable when there are numerous threads about ignorant chefs/waiters etc. If a chef does not know what is truly vegan or not, I would not be confident some marketer who writes ingredients lists would be.

And if there are no legal repercussions I imagine many just lie to sell more. I imagine there might be legal issues with nut allergies, and hence the cop out of saying everything might contain nuts on stuff.

Absurdum · 07-10-2009 11:03am

Thoushaltnot wrote: »

Alpro was bought out on the 22nd Sept by a dairty co.

Details and a discussion here http://sl-si.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=2204533739&topic=13353&post=95819;

Accidentally typed 'dairty', leaving it in for humourous effect.

wow...that is definitely not good news at all

henryporter · 07-10-2009 1:32pm

This thread got me thinking about E-numbers - interesting information to be found here; http://www.veggieglobal.com/nutrition/non-vegetarian-food-additives.htm:eek:

Tar.Aldarion · 07-10-2009 2:35pm

rubadub wrote: »

problem is no other cider is remotely like bulmers. I have heard people saying heineken is vegan, but is the heineken brewed in Ireland vegan? this is a point people should not, recipes will change all around the world so I expect many things are not veggie/vegan that people presume are. Bottles & cans of heineken are brewed in holland, but the draught is brewed here. For reasons I have yet to hear alcohol manufacturers do not have to disclose ingredients on the label.

In another thread I mentioned that it would be in manufacturers interests to lie, or purposely "legally mislead" people. Also are there laws in place to prosecute liars, intentional or not? Why would you presume manufacturers are knowledgeable when there are numerous threads about ignorant chefs/waiters etc. If a chef does not know what is truly vegan or not, I would not be confident some marketer who writes ingredients lists would be.

And if there are no legal repercussions I imagine many just lie to sell more. I imagine there might be legal issues with nut allergies, and hence the cop out of saying everything might contain nuts on stuff.

When you say like bulmers, do you mean widely available in a pub here etc or just taste?

Mentalmiss · 07-10-2009 2:54pm

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

When you say like bulmers, do you mean widely available in a pub here etc or just taste?

Have you tried Weston's. It is vegan and has the added advantage of being organic.

rubadub · 07-10-2009 3:12pm

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

When you say like bulmers, do you mean widely available in a pub here etc or just taste?

I mean I have never tasted any cider like it, in pubs or otherwise, and if you go to pubs your choice of cider is extremely limited. Some of the guys in the beer/wine forum mentioned some ciders which might be more natural. There is a guy in templebar farmers market who sells it "under the counter" since he got in trouble with the taxman. He might be using fining agents though, I have heard most clear apple juices would have fining agents, fermented or not.

You could have a go making your own, very rewarding hobby, and you know exactly whats in it :pac: If you found pressed apple juice you knew was vegan it is very easy to make cider.

More & more pubs are getting in specialist beers, some might have ciders like westons, the likes of the porterhouse.

Tar.Aldarion · 07-10-2009 3:22pm

rubadub wrote: »

I mean I have never tasted any cider like it, in pubs or otherwise, and if you go to pubs your choice of cider is extremely limited. Some of the guys in the beer/wine forum mentioned some ciders which might be more natural. There is a guy in templebar farmers market who sells it "under the counter" since he got in trouble with the taxman. He might be using fining agents though, I have heard most clear apple juices would have fining agents, fermented or not.

You could have a go making your own, very rewarding hobby, and you know exactly whats in it :pac: If you found pressed apple juice you knew was vegan it is very easy to make cider.

More & more pubs are getting in specialist beers, some might have ciders like westons, the likes of the porterhouse.

Mentalmiss wrote: »

Have you tried Weston's. It is vegan and has the added advantage of being organic.

Ah yeah cool,sounds good. I may try to makeit sometime, my friends make their own wine/mead these days and it's delicious.

Nicest cider I have ever had was some organicy one, rekorderlig, nyom.

We, the undersigned..

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