We know how hard it can be to find vegan sweets, let alone how hard it is to get concrete answers! It’s the reason Vegan Junk Box exists. If you’re a vegan with a sweet tooth, find out what sweets are vegan and which ones aren’t.
And don’t forget, if you want us to do the hard work for you, check out our monthly vegan snack subscriptions or our one-off vegan treat boxes.
Chewy sweets
Jelly sweets
Chewy sweets
Are Chewits vegan?
Most Chewits are not vegan. Although they are vegetarian as they do not contain gelatine, the Classic and Xtreme Chewits flavours include egg white powder. However, in 2020 Chewits launched two vegan-friendly laces – Chewits Xtreme Sour Apple Laces and Chewits Twists Fruity Laces.
Are Drumsticks vegan?
The classic Drumstick lollies are not vegan or vegetarian, as they contain gelatine. However, there are a number of vegan-friendly Drumstick sweets. Drumstick Choos (featuring multiple flavours!), Drumstick Soft Chews (they look like Chewits) and Drumstick Chew Bars – both the original and bubble gum flavour are all vegan.
Are Maoam vegan?
Maoam’s aren’t vegan or vegetarian as they contain gelatine. Unfortunately, most Haribo sweets are off the menu for vegans as even those which don’t include gelatine, usually contain beeswax. However, there other chewy sweets which vegans can enjoy – like Drumstick Choos.
Are Skittles vegan?
Most Skittles are vegan! All the flavours in the classic Skittles, Sour Skittles and most standard Skittle flavours ditched the gelatine a few years ago. But some flavours in limited edition packs can make them non-suitable for vegans – especially watch out for carmine (which goes by many names – like E120 and Cochineal).
Are Starburst vegan?
In the UK Starburst are vegan! However, in the US they’re made with gelatine – so keep an eye out if you’re traveling or in case you’ve got your hands on some imported Starburst. While they don’t include animal-derived ingredients, they do include palm oil – which some vegans choose to avoid.
Jelly sweets
Are Fruit Pastilles vegan?
In October 2020, Nestle announced they’d be making Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles vegan. Starting with the sharing bags, their vegan recipe will stretch across the whole range of Fruit Pastilles. Just be sure to check the pack for the ‘vegan-friendly recipe’ logo to make sure you’ve got the new recipe.
Are Haribo vegan?
The vast majority of Haribo sweets aren’t vegan. Most popular Haribo include gelatine making them unsuitable for vegans or vegetarians but while some (like Giant Strawbs) don’t, they still include beeswax which make them unsuitable for vegans. However, there is some good news – Haribo Rainbow Spaghetti and Rainbow Zing Strips are vegan.
Are Jelly Babies vegan?
Maynards Bassets Jelly Babies aren’t vegan. Most Jelly Babies won’t be vegan or vegetarian as they routinely contain pork gelatine. We’ve not heard anything about Maynards planning to reformulate the recipe in the future, so jelly babies might be off the menu for a while.
Are Jelly Beans vegan?
Jelly Belly Jelly Beans do not contain gelatine and are vegetarian-friendly, but unfortunately as they contain beeswax, they are not suitable for vegans. Jelly beans come from all different brands – some of which contain gelatine, so always read the label.
Are Jelly Tots vegan?
Rountrees Jelly Tots are vegan. The Jelly Tots recipe was altered to remove gelatine a few years ago and have been officially labelled as vegan since 2019. However, many jelly sweets do contain gelatine so if you’re buying a different brand, be sure to double check.
Are Sour Patch Kids vegan?
Sour Patch Kids in the UK are not vegan. This might come as a surprise because Sour Patch Kids are often mentioned online as a go-to vegan treat – but this is because Sour Patch Kids in the US have been recognised as vegan friendly. But don’t be fooled, in the UK they still contain gelatine.
