Single hen

[red]

For those of you who are veggie (or like me were veggie but now will eat meat of known ethical origin) you may be interested to see this article about changes to Mars products

[craftyhunnypie]

That is pretty bad for a large food manufacturer - I'm sure they could use gum arabic as a gelling agent. Why the hell do they want to use rennet...rennet is what they use for cheese?? Are we suddenly going to have cheesy mars bars?

Strange people!!!!

 

Emma.x

[Tina C]

Thank you for posting that. I happened to wander into the Vegetarian Society site last week and saw something on there - and I forgot to publicise it here .

 

http://www.vegsoc.org/news/2007/mars.html

 

Use this link if you want to email the company - I did ... I told them I would no longer be buying Mars products. Not too difficult for me as I am not a big chocolate eater anyway. Daughter Layla (6) is also vegetarian and I have told her it is her decision whether she continues to eat Mars bars and Maltesers - which happen to be among her favourite chocolates. I think she is still mulling it over.

 

I just feel it is so unneccessary and I hope sales go down by more than they expect as a result.

 

I had a very vague reply, which I thought was pretty poor.

[Charlottechicken]

I am mystified by this quote

 

"If the customer is an extremely strict vegetarian, then we are sorry the products are no longer suitable, but a less strict vegetarian should enjoy our chocolate," said Paul Goalby, corporate affairs manager for Masterfoods.

 

I agree with you Tina, and hope their sales drop!

[Guest]

Yes, I thought that was strange too.

 

Along the lines of something I heard in a sandwich shop recently:

 

They were selling rolls with beef, ham or chicken fillings. The customer asked if they had anything vegetarian and was told 'Yeah, there's the chicken'.

[Tina C]

Hmmm I once knew someone who was involved in catering and he told me his sister was a vegetarian 'but she eats fish and chicken'. Whenever someone says something like that I say 'then she is not a vegetarian then is she?' I don't care if she is or she isn't but I do want people to understand what being vegetarian means.

[buffie]

Yes I have many issues with masterfoods, control of the petfood market and use of battery hen meat This adds to it. I am not a vegetarian (ethically grown and slaughtered meat now) but have been. They are dismissing and offending a large customer base and I hope they lose sales.

 

The comment about chicken for vegetarians etc, it's daft isn't it. I had an instance where I was fed 'meat' because the person said they hadn't had time to get veg mince! I lost all trust

 

In this day and age mars have made a huge mistake, or is this all publicity and they'll announce a quick turnaround to 'bow' to popular demand

 

I don't buy it anyway

 

BBx

[chickenlass]

Crazy Isn't it?? What on earth are they thinking of?? I too wonder if it is a publicity stunt as I can't see why they would want to lose out on thousands of customers buying the products..

I'm not vegetarin as I eat fish now but was for many years. Oh well this will help me with my attempt to lose weight anyhow ...... THANK YOU MARS.

[Lesley]

It is unbelievable isn't it

 

I generally buy G&B's or other Fair Trade choc. anyway but do have odd lapses - I'll make sure I don't lapse again! I was veggie for 25 years and now eat our own meat only - still veggie away from home.

 

I have emailed them - thanks for both links.

[buffie]

Snickers contains egg white...investigation i think

 

BBx

[Louise]

It was done in a very sneaky way as they said yesterday in the news that production using whey started on 1st May and products with a shelf life dated October were still 'okay' for vegetarians

 

I have someone house sitting for me next week so at the shops last week I bought a multipack of mars and one of snickers as this girl lives on chocolate and fresh air and will only eat certain chocolates

 

I went and checked the date and they are both dated best before some time in november I then hunted for a label with anything about vegetarians and there is none

 

I don't have issues with this as I am not a veggie but if I was I could have been happily munching on this stuff blissfully unaware about it

 

Joke is if I tell the house sitter where whey comes from she would stop eating it as she doesn't eat cow, pig, or sheep

[Tina C]

Its made me think about checking confectionery labels more carefully. We avoid the ones that obviously have gelatine in them - marshmallows, jelly sweets etc but do not check the labels on others. I remember when polo suddenly put gelatine in their mints years ago but not sure if they still do or not (always avoided them after that and am not really a fan of mints anyway).

 

I have a friend whose daughter has a serious milk allergy (can't even kiss her if you have been eating chocolate - she only has to touch milk to get a reaction). She has to check the labels of eveything EVERY time she goes shopping as manufacturers can suddenly change ingredients without warning - eg she found a Tesco garlic bread made with just olive oil - fantastic - its really hard shopping for things without milk - but next time she bought it - butter. Its not life or death for everyone thankfully, but it makes me

[buffie]

A vegetarian wouldn't want to eat battery eggs I imagine but they are hidden away behind labels, only if it's vegetarian society approved or organic can you be sure. Oh it makes you cross doesn't it. I am working on salad dressings for July's newsletter.

 

BBx

[Lesley]

One of my lapses as previously mentioned is M&M's from the petrol station - Carl buys me industrial sized bags - and I have no willpower

 

I told him yesterday about Mars/Masterfood and told him that he mustn't buy them anymore.

 

He came back leter saying he's bought a Cadbury's bar - that was OK wasn't it? and then said, "and I've got you an Aero" ........by Nestle We already boycot Nestle

 

Louise - I don't know what I'd do in your situation

[Louise]

I won't tell her as she would starve if she finds out for herself then she will have to deal with it but I can't have someone who doesn't drive, or eat 'normal' food which is what is in the cupboards and freezer staying in the house

 

I think there may be some tomato soup in the cupboard and she eats that I am at a loss to understand how someone whos diet consists off crisp rolls, chip rolls and chocolate survives without some sort of vitamin deficiency It has always led me to suspect that companies add a vitamin supplement to chocolate

[Guest]

One of my lapses as previously mentioned is M&M's from the petrol station - Carl buys me industrial sized bags - and I have no willpower

 

I told him yesterday about Mars/Masterfood and told him that he mustn't buy them anymore.

 

He came back leter saying he's bought a Cadbury's bar - that was OK wasn't it? and then said, "and I've got you an Aero" ........by Nestle We already boycot Nestle

 

Lesley, that sounds so like my OH. He also buys me huge quantities of things which I don't want - but once they're in front of me I eat. The thing at the moment is Turkish Delight from Cranberry. He brings me home a box and I dutifully eat them, but I don't even like them all that much and I certainly don't want them! I have tried giving them away to the eager children and all sorts of hints but still the boxes come! I have told him I'd prefer some licquorice, but still he brings Turkish delight. He has realised that I like Innocent smoothies, so sometimes he brings those - but not just one! It's meant kindly I know, but I don't think it is very kind!

 

And it takes me ages to get him to remember that we don't use plastic bags, we don't buy unfairly traded chocolate etc. Although he agrees with the principles, he only applies them to me not to himself.

[Richard T]

From yesterday's Grauniad - more foods which vegetarians should watch out for [edit: there's a correction in today's - 17 May - Grauniad: "Britvic, the company that manufactures Tango, has asked us to point out that the fizzy orange drink does not contain fish gelatine or any other animal products, contrary to the claim made in a feature headlined Veggies beware, page 12, G2, May 15."]:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/food/Story/0,,2079767,00.html

 

who'd a thort it?

Edited May 17, 2007 by Guest

[The Dogmother]

I'll have your Turkish Delight Ginette I can easily (and have ) eat it until I'm sick.

[Guest]

I'll let you know when I have some Clare! Today it was soft mints.

[Lesley]

Carl bought the Cadbury's Turkish Delight bar - luckily he doesn't like his women skinny

[Lynn in Bristol]

My 9 year old vegetarian daughter picked up on this news item. She already refuses to eat sweets containing gelatin, and fastidiously reads labels on things to check.

 

Today she started a petition at her school and had 40 signatures by lunchtime.

 

I'm very cross on her behalf - I hope Masterfoods shoot themselves in the foot over this.

 

I am immensely proud of her, and a little ashamed that I have never told her about the rennet in cheese. Oops!

[chelsea]

thanks for letting us know Red. I wouldnt have known if you hadnt told me.

 

Shame, cos they are some of my favourites.

 

their loss though....i'll just buy something else.

[Lesley]

I am immensely proud of her, and a little ashamed that I have never told her about the rennet in cheese. Oops!

 

Most cheese is now made using vegetarian rennet because, apparently, it is cheaper. Many producers do not advertise this point as they feel people will stop buying their cheese

 

There are now many cheeses which do state that they use vegetarian rennet.