If you’re vegan you’ve probably stood in the supermarket aisle squinting at an ingredients list, wondering, "Is this actually vegan?" Unfortunately (and annoyingly!) the answer isn’t always straightforward.
Food labelling rules vary between countries, and not all animal-derived ingredients are required to be declared on packaging. Some animal products can sneak into your food without you even realising. And to make things trickier, some products aren’t vegan because of the way they’re made, even if the ingredients list looks fine.
Here are a few common “sneaky” non-vegan offenders to look out for:
1. Sugar
Sugar seems simple, right? But here’s the thing: in some countries (like the US), sugar is often refined using bone char (yes, made from animal bones). That refining process doesn’t have to be listed on the label.
Example: Products that are vegan-friendly in New Zealand and Australia, like Oreos, aren’t vegan in the US because of how the sugar is processed.
Additional twist: If bone char is used, the sugar might also contain trace amounts of dairy.
2. Vitamin D3
Vitamin D3 is another sneaky one. It’s often added to cereals, juices, and other fortified foods, but it’s usually derived from lanolin (which comes from sheep’s wool). The problem? You won’t see “lanolin” anywhere on the ingredients list!
Example: Some cereals like Special K include vitamin D3 from lanolin, making them unsuitable for vegans.
3. Shellac
Shellac is a resin secreted by lac bugs and is often used to create a shiny coating on food but you won’t always see this on the ingredients list! For any ingredient (as long as it’s not a declared allergen) If the amount used is small (*less than 5% of the product), it doesn’t have to be listed on the label.
Example: Some versions of Skittles contain shellac but don’t list it as an ingredient.
* All the ingredients which make up a compound ingredient must be declared in the ingredient list, except when the compound ingredient is used in amounts of less than 5% of the final food.
4. Gelatine
We all know gelatine isn’t vegan, but here’s a curveball: it can be used in the manufacturing process without being listed on the label. For example, gelatine is sometimes used to filter juices, even though it doesn’t end up in the final product.
Example: Golden Circle apple juice is filtered with gelatine, meaning it’s not vegan, even though the ingredients list might look fine.
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Together, we can make vegan living easier, more accessible, and stress-free for everyone in Aotearoa.
Thank you Tara. This app that you have worked on so tirelessly to bring to us Vegans in our Beautiful Aotearoa is going to be 'Life Changing'.
Much Gratitude.