Mars confectionery no longer suitable for vegetarians.

**jabberwock** · #1 05-14-07, 09:05 am

Mars have started using whey made from aninal rennet (comes from calves' stomachs) in Mars Bars, Twixs, Maltesers...
BBC NEWS | Business | Mars starts using animal products

If you want to contact Masterfoods to tell them what you think of this then try this link

Masterfoods Consumer Care : Contact us

**JarBax** · #2 05-14-07, 09:56 am

I am onto them now! Thanks for that! (bah!)

**thalestral** · #3 05-14-07, 10:59 am

Thanks for the heads up! Ick :/

**FoolOnTheHill** · #4 05-14-07, 11:15 am

Thanks for that. Bah, no more Maltesers or Minstrels

! Why do they have to use animal rennet now, when they managed without it before? I think they will lose a lot of customers because of this. Hmmph.

**PiggyPaws** · #5 05-14-07, 11:25 am

:O
No!
Mars is my favourite ever chocolate bar...now I hate them...

**JarBax** · #6 05-14-07, 12:46 pm

I have left a comment. If everybody who is appauled by this comments, and lets them know we will boycott Mars until they return to non-animal rennet, maybe they will reconsider. It happened with Walkers' cheese and onion crisps!

I heard about it on the radio (after reading here), and like most other people, didn't realise there was any change - apparently the labels only list 'whey' (by product of the dairy industry), and only when a customer (and vegetarian society member) enquired did they find out that Mars have changed to using animal rennet (taken from new-born calves stomach lining) instead of the non-animal rennet they had been using previously. I am disgusted that they made such a sneaky change, and that they decided to take a complete backward leap in the process!

(When filling in the form, I just entered 'all products', 'all barcodes', 'all best before dates' etc. - wouldn't send without these filled in)

PS - I tend to buy 'fair trade' plain chocolate anyway - but my son may occasionally have a Mars product (Maltesers are a favorite) - he will not be pleased! Maybe I should get him to lodge a complaint too!

**ellig123** · #7 05-14-07, 01:25 pm

I heard this on tv earlier and I'm in the middle of writing a letter of complaint to them- very annoyed about this, and I hope lots of other people make their views known on it too

**jabberwock** · #8 05-14-07, 02:36 pm

I already boycott Nestle, now Mars as well. I didn't buy their products regularly anyway (though I didn't make it seem that way when I complained). That leaves Divine (always our first choice) and Cadbury, which both use non-animal rennet to make their whey. I can't help feeling that Mars have really shot themselves in the foot here.
JarBax - my son has made a complaint so do encourage your son to get involved too!

**gpigluver14** · #9 05-14-07, 06:11 pm

Ugh! I can't believe it! I like Twix a lot, I mean liked- I'm obviously not eating it anymore. I'm complaining to them! You have my word, they will not get away with this!!

That's what I'm doing too, JarBax- I'm not taking the time to actually get out a Twix bar I have handy and right down the bar code. Grr, why would they switch if they were using the non-animal whey before?!

**gpigluver14** · #10 05-14-07, 06:25 pm

Oh, I just realized they make m&ms too! Wait, are they made with whey??...I'll have to do some searching.....

Here is the message I wrote to them- not that great, but it gets the point across:

You have lost my business in buying any of your products. I am a vegetarian and can no longer eat your foods because you have switched to animal rennet. I am very disappointed because I was a large consumer of your candy. I hope you understand that this switch has angered many people, including me, and now you will be losing a lot of business. I hope you will make the change back to whey not made from animal rennet after you find that your products are not selling.

**cavy-cool-crazy** · #11 05-15-07, 01:40 pm

I was disguted to hear this too. Their products were perfectly delicious but now I - and doubtless many other people - won't be able to eat Minstrels, Maltesers, Milky Way etc. without thinking of the poor calf who suffered for it.

**PiggieMamaKelly** · #12 05-15-07, 02:02 pm

Oh no, say it ain't so! No more "Two for me, none for you"???

**Luvthempigs** · #13 05-15-07, 06:29 pm

Is this all of their products or just their products sold in the UK?

**Fay** · #14 05-17-07, 01:04 pm

Nooooooo Mars!! I just love Mars bars even though I don't eat them often. I just hate that they made this decision. I hope if we all protest they will re-consider.

**MCR_Rox** · #15 05-19-07, 11:45 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by FoolOnTheHill

Thanks for that. Bah, no more Maltesers or Minstrels

! Why do they have to use animal rennet now, when they managed without it before? I think they will lose a lot of customers because of this. Hmmph.

It's probably cheaper.

**ellig123** · #16 05-20-07, 01:49 am

Good news! Mars have changed their decision regarding the animal rennet and will no longer be using it in their products.

BBC NEWS | UK | Mars bars get veggie status back

**JarBax** · #17 05-20-07, 02:07 am

HHoooorayyyyy! Just came on to herald the good news too, after hearing the news that Mars admitted it made a mistake on the radio! Power to the people!!!!!

Thank you jabberwock, for this useful post, say these 4 members:
gpigluver14 (05-14-07), JarBax (05-14-07), Sabriel (05-25-07), thalestral (05-15-07)

Thank you ellig123 for this useful post, says:
landhermie (05-20-07)

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