Wine Gums are some of the absolute tastiest sweets on the market! Famous for having contained alcohol at one point, now they are known for coming in a variety pack of flavours, fit to suit the taste buds of every member of the family! In fact, they are still commonly given as Christmas and Birthday presents – you may well have had some yourself in times gone by. But, are Wine Gums vegan?
The answer might surprise you – so don’t go ahead and stock up on these sweet treats until you’ve read what we have to say below.
Are Maynards Bassetts Wine Gums Vegan?
Maynards Bassetts Wine Gums are not vegan. While most of the ingredients are plant-based, there is one that could derive from animal products – gelatine.
Gelatine is commonly derived from the bones of pork and beef and is, therefore, obviously not a vegan product.
Otherwise, Wine Gums produced by Maynards and Bassetts have natural flavours – which is a great start, but unfortunately not vegan.
This, of course, only covers one version of Wine Gums. You’ll find they are popularly produced by supermarkets and other brands. You’ll need to check the ingredients of the specific treats you’re tucking into, but it’s still likely they will contain gelatine.
Maynards Bassetts Wine Gums Ingredients UK
Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Starch, Water, Gelatine, Acids (Malic Acid, Acetic Acid, Citric Acid), Colours (Anthocyanins, Vegetable Carbon, Paprika Extract, Lutein, Curcumin), Vegetable Oils (Palm Kernel, Coconut, Sunflower), Flavourings, Glazing Agent (Carnauba Wax).
Further Considerations for Vegans
As you may have noticed, one of the vegetable oils in Wine Gums is Palm Kernel, also known as palm oil.
While palm oil is technically vegan, many vegans oppose the use of it in general products, such as sweets. This is due to the fact that the retrieval of palm oil causes significant damage to the environment. For instance, harvesting of palm oil is proven to have detrimental effects on orangutan habitats, where these animals are sadly facing endangerment.
Therefore, while palm oil may be a plant-based product, it is worth bearing in mind that it is not a very ethical ingredient to consume.
In addition to this, one of the issues that some people have with Wine Gums is the fact that they did use to actually contain wine!
As you may know, most wines are not vegan and contain animal products such as milk protein, fibre from shells and egg whites, and even some gelatine.
Thankfully, Wine Gums no longer contain wine at all. Despite keeping their famous name, Wine Gums are completely alcohol-free! Sadly, that still doesn’t mean they’re suitable for vegans at this time.
Vegan Alternatives To Wine Gums
If sweet fruit treats are your thing, but you cannot bring yourself to eat Wine Gums, then you will be happy to know that there are plenty of vegan alternatives available! Rowntree’s Fruit Gums and Fruit Pastilles, for example, are both vegan sweets.
Here in the UK, the colourful favourite Starburst is vegan, as are Skittles, Love Hearts, and even Marks and Spencer’s famous Percy Pigs.
The great thing about these sweets is that they can easily be found in most supermarkets, newsagents, and even online. They are also affordable and easy to bring with you to any gatherings that may have some non-vegan attendees!
Of course, if you feel like a really fruity treat, why not try making your own homemade sweets? Simply drying your fruit can make for chewy, sweet, healthy treats for the whole family! The same goes for making your own homemade vegan ice cream and other fruity desserts.
Verdict: Are Wine Gums Vegan?
No, sadly, Wine Gums are not yet vegan. Thankfully, though, there are plenty of vegan alternatives on the market that are easy to come across.
With more and more famous sweets becoming vegan, hopefully, even Maynards and Bassetts’ Wine Gums will follow along soon, too.
Please note: While full care has been taken to provide accurate information at the time of writing, manufacturers may change the ingredients of their products art any time. Please always check the label yourself before consuming.
I’m the founder and editor-in-chief at GetVedgy. As a former meat eater who only recently made a commitment to veganism, I’ve spent a lot of time over the last couple of years researching the subject. It felt like a good idea to share what I’ve learnt and help to answer the questions I’ve had that no doubt many others’ will also have.