Mars UK has been denied use of the vegetarian symbol on packaging, because its products contain battery-farmed eggs. The company hit the headlines earlier this year after The Grocer revealed it was replacing vegetarian whey in some of its products with an animal-derived rennet. After receiving more than 6,000 complaints from consumers and vegetarian groups, the confectionery giant was forced to perform a U-turn and said it would pursue the Vegetarian Society's famous 'seedling' logo. But the accreditation request has been denied because Mars bars are not made with free-range eggs. "We are happy to remain in dialogue with the manufacturer," said VS chief executive officer Annette Pinner. "However, it is important for consumers to recognise the difference between minimum vegetarian standards and the higher criteria associated with VS approval." Instead, new packaging will state 'suitable for vegetarians' on the back of brands including Mars, Snickers and Galaxy, using FSA guidance on vegetarian labelling as a benchmark. Mars said using battery eggs was "currently the most practical solution to our manufacturing needs". "As a company, we believe in clear, transparent labelling and are introducing this initiative because we want to communicate the suitability of our products to vegetarians," said Fiona Dawson, managing director of Masterfoods' UK snack foods business.

Topics