what do you think of mars making their products non vegetarian?

Question

Read in the paper earlier this week that the company that manufactures, Mars products including Galaxy, Minstrels, and Milky Way etc instead of using a vegetarian setting agent have started to use rennet made from the stomach of calves which is cheaper, anything with a "best before date after 1st oct 2007 will no longer be suitable for vegetarians, if you have already bought some you can send it back for a refund. I am not a vegetarian but my teenage daughter is and we both love Galaxy, don't see how i can continue to eat them in front of her, it is wrong, just for profit we should all boycott their products now.

some answers below seem to miss the point, a vegetarian does not eat meat or any product which contains any other part of the animal where the creature has to be killed in order to eat it, a vegan will not eat eggs or cheese or drink milk, the rennet is obtained from the stomach of a calf, on order to get the stomach the calf needs to be killed, as a meat eater i still object to using parts of a dead animal to make chocolate

Answer 1

It's wrong and i've sent an e-mail of complaint along with most of my family and friends! they're greedy, doing it to save money and not considering 5% of the population in the first place!

Oh and they didn't really publicise it very well, they're being very sneaky in my opinion!

Answer 2

I hope their wallet takes a serious hit (which it might, if all vegetarians are aware of the change) and they realize people really care about this stuff.

I think that if the general (meat-eating) public KNEW that things such as cheese - and now candy bars - contain animal rennet (and knew what animal rennet IS), they'd insist on using products that use vegetable rennet. SO many of the foods we eat have NASTY ingredients, but they can get away with it because nobody knows. You don't have to be a vegetarian or vegan to think that using intestinal enzymes from a baby cow in your FOOD is gross!

Answer 3

Thats an odd thing to say. You are not going to buy the product so you are suggesting a boycott. Aren't you boycotting it anyhow? Do you mean that non veggies should boycott Mars for not making the candy bars veggie? If you can't get a boycott together while being raped at the gas pumps, doubt that Americans will get militant over this issue.

Answer 4

Being a vegetarian teen myself I'm totaly gutted that some stupid company has decided to make their products non-vegetarian for a measely profit! When I was little(er) there were practicaly no products such as sweets and chocolate that were vegetarian/vegan friendly readily availiable and it's like Mars/Galaxy are going back it time. I think there should be a boycot of their products.. but knowing how addictive they are I doubt there will be :(
Ah well.. at least it will promote healthy eating in Vegetarians a bit...

Answer 5

Milk comes from the mammary glands of cows. Rennet is a natural complex of enzymes produced in any mammalian stomach to digest the mother's milk. Neither are meat products, and both are produced under unsavory conditions. Why is eating one worse than eating the other?

Answer 6

actually, natural products are often more expensive but better for you. Do you really want all the polymers (which are essentially plastic) in your little girls diet? I used to work for mars and I knwo they they a terrifyingly ethical company, to the point where it has put them behind the competitiors for many years. They are a family owner company and the family are quakers, everythign they make is organic but they don't brand it like that adn bump the price up so i very much doubt they did this 'just for profit'

Answer 7

Whether vegetarian or not, mars bar and similar is loaded with sugar, fat and unpronouncable ingredients. That stuff gives you empty calories, pounds and depression. You should encourage your daughter to eat healthier food, and set an example. Why not look at some vegetarian/vegan recipe sites and make something that is good for you and your daughter, which also tastes good: http://www.theppk.com

Answer 8

If this really is true, you could write the company and tell them that they are going to lose market share by doing this, so the cost savings will be offset by a loss in sales - that might get their attention. You could also start a campaign against this. I don't see how it makes sense that a meat product would be cheaper than a vegetable product - something seems wrong with this report.

Answer 9

NO offense but I don't care and had you not read the article you would have never known with companies its about cost effectiveness. Had they continued on with the vegetarian settling agent costs would have risen. I use to be vegetarian but then I got pregnant that went out the door after 10 yrs. My body went into shock I was sick as a dog because I was unable to digest the proteins in meat. After a few months everything went back to normal. Good luck I don't think it would be wrong to eat them in front of her she's made her choice. And I'll help you boycott them if you want I don't eat candy bars anyway nothing worse then a totally nutritionless substance put into your body that is pure sugar and fat. And one more point they do use milk in the creation of their candy bars she was consuming animal product all this time and never batted an eye at it

Answer 10

Eat the candy when she is not around.
I am sorry Mars has done this but it just helps me not eat what is really a Non-Food anyway.
She above all people should know all that garbage is not good in her diet. If she like chocolate, tell her to do 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate bars.

Answer 11

I haven't noticed the world stopped turning. You intentions are good, anyone can make a mistake. As stated, gelatin, animal stock/fat, and animal rennet are the main culprits-many cheese makers use vegetable rennet now since it's cheaper.