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Vegans have been warned they may be inadvertently supporting the meat and dairy industries through their consumer habits.
Leading publication Ethical Consumer magazine has listed a number of brands it says are owned by parent companies whose values are at odds with veganism.
According to the publication, a number of popular vegan brands have links to animal exploitation, due to the companies that own them.
Brands
Among the plant-based brands listed are Alpro, Provamel and Soya Soleil – all of which are owned by Dairy giant Danone – a French food multi-national which makes much of its £19 billion turnover from its dairy brands like Activia Yoghurt.
It also lists dairy-free spread company Pure, which is owned by the Kerry Group, an Irish food company which also owns Dairygold, Cheesestrings, and Wall’s sausages.
Major corporation Unilever is listed as owning a number of dairy and meat brands, but it also owns plant-based ice-cream company Swedish Glace.
Vegan
The publication has also listed companies it says align with vegan values.
These include Swedish milk alternative company Oatly, Kent-based vegan chocolate and mayonnaise brand Plamil, tofu product maker Taifun and Suma.
Independent milk alternative companies – with no links to the dairy industry – include The Coconut Collaborative, Ecomil, Good Hemp, VegiDeli, Dragonfly and chocolate truffle and ice-cream brand The Booja-Booja Company.
‘Horrified’
Ethical Consumer Researcher, Mackenzie Denyer, said: “It’s great that so many people are now switching to vegan diets.
“However, we’re asking people to be savvy vegans and, as our research has shown, recognize that not all companies selling vegan brands uphold vegan principles.
“We’re sure that many vegans will be horrified that they are unwittingly supporting the milk and dairy industries.
“The good news is that there are many vegan brands on the shelves that have no links to animal exploitation and have been championing vegan lifestyles for many years.
“The bad news is that as the vegan revolution rolls on we can expect many more companies who have no interest in ending animal exploitation scramble to get a slice of the vegan market.”
