British soft drink Vimto has come under fire this week after announcing its products are no longer suitable for vegans.
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The iconic childhood soft drink Vimto has received harsh criticism after it was announced that it is no longer vegan.
For those who aren’t familiar (we’re looking at you Ribena fans) Vimto is a diluted juice made from grape, raspberry and blackcurrant.
It is undoubtedly a nostalgic part of British childhood, but with a new recipe containing vitamin D obtained from sheep’s wool, vegans will have to miss out.
Vimto announced the recipe change on Instagram by writing:
“Vimto Squash just got even better!
Our range is now fortified with Vitamins C&D, meaning you get the same refreshingly different Vimto taste, but with all the benefits of added essential vitamins.”
And the brand’s website was updated to read:
“All of our Vimto squash drinks are suitable for vegetarians. Due to the recent addition of Vitamin D, they are not suitable for vegans.”
So which Vimto products are suitable for vegans?
According to Vimto, there are still some products that can be consumed as part of a vegan diet.
These include the fizzy and ready to drink ranges, as well as the Vimto Jellybeans, Bon Bons, and Ice Lollies.
However, the squash products are indisputably the brand’s biggest sellers, so the decision to add animal products will surely have a detrimental effect.
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Criticism on Instagram
Vegans flocked to the Vimto Instagram page to express their disappointment at the decision to add animal products.
@Emmasditto wrote: “what a stupid decision!! the vegan market is HUGE, why would you create a new product that excludes it? ABSOLUTE FOOLS!!”
@Twovegansandadog added: “Really really disappointed you made the change from a fully vegan product to a non-vegan one. We love Vimto and it’s incredibly frustrating that we can’t have it anymore.”
@Vicsveganeats agreed: “REALLY disappointed in the unnecessary addition of animal products. There are plenty of vegan vitamin D sources available – why would you not opt for one of these?”
It is very confusing as to why a vegan-friendly drink would choose to opt for an animal-based vitamin D source!
Vimto has not yet responded to comments on its Instagram post, but we hope the brand has realised what a huge marketing error it has made!
Fancy something different to quench your thirst?
Here is our guide to accidentally vegan drinks.
