Cochineal bugs have flat, oval-shaped bodies about the size of a grain of rice and are native to tropical and subtropical South America, though they also exist in North America. According to research available on Cell, between 1999 and 2015, palm oil production has led to the demise of 100,000 orangutans. If nothing is done to curb the demand for palm oil, we could end up eradicating the rainforests in those two countries, and we’ll also bring to extinction unique species such as the Sumatran and Bornean orangutans, the Sumatran tigers, the Bornean Pygmy elephants, the Sumatran rhinoceros, and the Malayan sun bears.

If you don’t want to buy any Haribo sweets due to their heavy use of animal ingredients, there are a large number of vegan chewy sweets from other brands. Indonesia and Malaysia account for 85% of the world’s palm oil production. It’s also in those two countries where a population of orangutangs is being pushed to extinction. Haribo does have factories in the United States, so it’s quite possible that they use bone char. Potential Cross-Contamination Apparently, Germans are very fond of sweets and bears, and the inspiration for making the bear-shaped gum candies came from the “dancing bears”— animals trained to entertain the masses in public squares in medieval times, which is a rather non-vegan start to a brand.Light - Have a job that involves long periods of sitting (office-based / driving) or are home-based and sitting for much of the day. Typical jobs: office worker, sales rep, bus/taxi/lorry driver. Many consumer companies think they are buying sustainable palm oil when they buy from the RSPO, but as we have shown, the RSPO is actually certifying forest destruction. This means that the international household brands, that we all use and love, that are solely relying on the RSPO, are still at risk that the palm oil they use is tainted with deforestation. Greenpeace is asking companies like Proctor & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Pepsi Co, and Johnson & Johnson, to do more to truly guarantee that the palm oil in their products is not contributing to deforestation, habitat loss for endangered wildlife and climate change.” Moderate - On your feet for much of the day, either standing or occasional slow paced walking. Typical jobs: shop assistant, teacher, chef/cook, bar worker, engineer. Gelatin is one of the main ingredients used in chewy candies, and most Haribo sweets have it, as well as a wide array of different products such as shampoos and face masks.

Contrary to what most people think, there’s a chance most sugar sold in the United States may be unsuitable for vegans. In some countries (namely the United States), bone char is commonly used to filter and bleach sugar, giving it its predominantly white, pristine color. Beeswax is produced by bees to create a structure that allows them to store honey and nurture young bees. A process that happens during honey production. Candy Kittens is a brand of chewy sweets that started in 2012. It was initially not vegan, but it eventually evolved into becoming 100% vegan. Their sweets come in a variety of fruity flavors, namely raspberry & guava, blood orange & pomegranate, orchard apple & dragon fruit, wild strawberry, and more.To extract this dye, cochineal insects are harvested, dried out, and ground up to produce the dark red color in powder form. Most cochineal insects are harvested in the wild, but there are also locations where they are farmed, which involves either cultivating cactus plants already infested with insects, or adding insects by hand to wild cactus pads. To give you a better idea of what products you can consume, I’ve gone ahead and created a table with every Haribo sweet, its ingredients, and its status. Haribo Sweet This being said, I’d say some countries are more suspicious than others. For instance, some sources point out that bone char is not used in some European countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand. So, depending on where the product is manufactured, you could more easily conclude.

According to the table above, the only vegan Haribo sweets are Sour S’ghetti, Rainbow Spaghetti, Rainbow Strips Zing, Sour Rainbow Twists, and Soft Jelly Bears.

Gelatin is a protein obtained by boiling animal bones, skins, ligaments, and tendons, and whilst there are alternatives such as pectin, agar-agar, and carrageen, gelatin is still the most widely used. Beeswax In any case, because beeswax is produced by bees, it can’t be deemed as a vegan ingredient. Carmine Haribo was also the company that created the first gummy candy in the form of little gummy bears called Gummibärchen (gummy bears in German), however, the company now has an array of gummy sweets, and while most of them are made with animal ingredients, there are a few vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. Why Are Most Haribo Sweets Not Vegan? If you’re allergic to dairy or gluten, this is bad news because you won’t be able to consume their products as it could be dangerous for your health. Which Haribo Sweets Are Vegan & Vegetarian? Unfortunately, there are several ingredients used by the Haribo brand that might make them non-vegan, so you should definitely keep an eye out for the following ingredients. Gelatin