What sweets are vegetarian?

It would be easy to think that all sweets and candies are vegetarian. However, did you know that many of our favourite confectionary contain animal derivatives and by-products. Despite their delicious fruit flavourings, bright colourings, taste bud tingling fizz and jelly textures, not all sweets are veggie friendly. As a result, it's important to know what you’re looking for when it comes to vegetarian sweets, especially if you’re buying a gift for a friend or family member!Vegetarian Sweet Hamper

At the Sweet Hamper Company, we’ve made it easy to discover an array of tasty vegetarian sweets and candies through our range of specially vegetarian sweet hampers, sweet boxes, bouquets, cones and other products. As candy experts, we have all the insider knowledge about vegan sweets, and in this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the top vegetarian sweets available in the UK.

Many of the sweets featured in this blog can be found in our range of products, so make sure you take a look after to see for yourself!

 But if you’re going it alone, and want to discover vegetarian sweets for yourself, it's important to understand what ingredients contain animal derivatives or by-products, so you know exactly what to avoid when you’re getting your sweetie fix.

The sweet manufacturing process can include a number of different ingredients which contain animal products. Most notably is gelatine - a gelling agent which is typically made from animal bones as a by-product of the meat industry… definitely NOT vegetarian friendly! Traditionally, jelly like sweets contain gelatine, giving them a gummy-like texture. However, as more and more people turn to vegetarianism and plant-based diets, many sweet manufacturers are following suit. 

There are now plenty of alternatives to gelatine on the market and many sweet, candy and confectionary brands have started to use these in their recipes. Take M&S’s Percy Pigs for example. In recent years, M&S decided to remove all gelatine from their Percy Pigs range, making them completely suitable for vegetarians! 

As candy connoisseurs, the team at the Sweet Hamper Company knows its way around vegetarian sweets, and we’ve compiled some of our favourites below… why don’t you check them out for yourself?

All the sweets outlined here are available in most supermarkets or sweet shops, so you should be able to get your hands on them!

 

Love Hearts 

It's easy to see why people love Love Hearts, which have been available in the UK since the 50s. In fact, veggies love them just as much because they contain no animal products whatsoever.

Skittles  

Did you know, vegetarians can ‘taste the rainbow’ because these classic little sweets have no animal products or derivatives in their ingredient list.

Starburst  

The whole Starburst range is veggie friendly, meaning you can enjoy every flavour from this delectable brand.

Some Haribo sweets 

Many Haribo sweets contain gelatine, however there are a few varieties in the range which are suitable for vegetarians. These include Haribo Rainbow Strips, Rainbow Spaghetti and the delicious Giant Strawbs. 

Rainbow Drops

These colourful puffs of sweetie goodness contain now animal products or by-products, making them completely vegetarian friendly.

Millions 

100% veggie friendly and approved by the Vegetarian Society, these tiny, chewy sweets contain no animal derivatives.

Sherbet Dip Dab 

This retro favourite with a licorice centre is completely vegetarian.

Check out our full range of vegetarian friendly sweet hampers, vegetarian sweet boxes, vegetarian sweet bouquets and more.