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Shopping guides and features to help you find the most ethical vegan products this Veganuary.
Not all vegan products are ethical. Some are made by companies selling meat or dairy products, while others might have a high climate impact.
Our guides can help you find the most ethical vegan products and provide an overview of some tricky ethical issues.
Below are three sections covering:
- The benefits of veganism
- Vegan alternatives and brands to beware of
- Shopping guides that feature vegan products
The benefits of veganism
The benefits of a vegan lifestyle and its positive impacts on the planet and animals. Find out more in the features below.
- Why Buy... Vegan?
- Climate action: 10 steps to cut down on meat and dairy
- Ethical benefits of not eating meat and dairy
- How bad are meat and dairy for the climate?
- Plant vs dairy milks: Comparing their climate impacts
- Carbon impacts of food - diets and climate change
- The dairy industry and animal rights
- An introduction to animal testing policies
- Animal rights, animal welfare and clothing
- What is vegan energy?
- Banks and animal exploitation
- Animal rights and the food industry
- What is factory farming and why is it a problem?
Vegan alternatives and brands to beware of
We look at vegan brands whose owners also sell animal products, and the ethical choices around honey, milks and soya.
- Vegan food brands whose owners also sell meat or dairy products
- Is soya an ethical sustainable choice?
- 10 ethical brands owned by unethical companies - including some 'vegan' brands
- A quick guide to vegan fashion
We always check the ethics of our advertisers
Shopping guides
Find ethical butters, vegan butter and margarine, and organic butter. This guide reviews 51 brands of butter, margarine and spreads including dairy free butter and margarine.
We investigate palm oil, animal rights, packaging and climate actions being taking by butter brands, shine a spotlight on Kerrygold, and give our recommended buys.
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Eggs
Ethical and environmental rankings for 43 brands of eggs and vegan egg alternatives.
Is it ethical to eat eggs? We investigate egg labelling, vegan egg substitutes,the carbon impact of egg production, and the differences between cage, barn, free range, biodynamic and organic eggs.
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In this guide we investigate, score and rank the ethical and environmental record of 70 beer and lager brands.
We look at vegan beers, sustainable brewing, compare the small brewers and the multinationals, how to choose a lower impact beer and give our recommended buys.
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Ethical Chocolate
Find ethical, sustainable and fair trade chocolate: ratings for 84 brands of bars of chocolate and chocolate snacks, with recommended brands and ones to avoid.
Is all fair trade chocolate equally fair? What are chocolate brands doing about child labour? We look at the big ethical issues including colonialism in the cocoa sector, palm oil and deforestation, child labour, cocoa certification, as well as who makes vegan chocolate, and how to find ethical and responsibly-sourced chocolate to suit your budget.
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Ethical Shampoo
How to findnatural, organic, vegan and independent shampoos which are eco friendly.
In this guide we investigate, score and rank the ethical and environmental record of 86 brands of shampoo
We also look at palm oil, chemical free shampoo, solid bars versus liquid, shampoo for different hair types, and give our recommended buys.
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Ethical Soap
Find ethical and environmental soap: ratings for 53 brands of soap bars and liquid handwash.
We look at whether bars or liquids are more environmentally friendly,vegan and cruelty-free soaps, organic soaps, palm oil, plastics, which brands contain toxic chemicals, and give our recommended buys.
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Ethical Valentine's Day Chocolate
Ethical, sustainable and fair trade chocolate is the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. We rate 84 brands of chocolate, recommend brands and highlight ones to avoid. We help you avoid chocolate associated with child labour or palm oil so your gift is as ethical as possible.
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Make-Up
Finding natural and cruelty-free makeup and cosmetics: ratings for 56 makeup brands, with recommended buys and what to avoid.
We rate the major brands like Bobbi Brown, Elizabeth Arden and Boots No 7, as well as smaller eco brands, and look at which makeup brands are vegan, if there is organic makeup, and how to avoid toxic chemicals in your cosmetics.
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Skincare
Finding natural, organic and vegan skincare: ratings for 88 brands with recommended buys and brands to avoid.
We also look at toxic chemicals, plastic packaging, if brands are using palm oil, shine a spotlight on the ethics of Avalon Organics and JĀSÖN, and look at which brands are still involved with animal testing.
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Sunscreens
We investigate, score and rank the ethical and environmental record of 32 sunscreen brands
Chemical versus mineral sunscreen, vegan suncream, eco-friendly and reef-safe sunscreen, non toxic sun lotions, the SPF labelling system,andour recommended buys.
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Toothpaste
Finding natural, organic and vegan toothpaste: ratings for 40 brands of toothpaste, with recommended brands and brands to avoid.
We rate the big toothpaste brands like Colgate and Sensodyne, how to avoid plastic packaging, and which brands sell vegan toothpaste.
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Vegan and Meat Alternative Foods
We look at vegan brands owned by big meat producers, meat-free ingredients, soya and deforestation, and more. With ethical & environmental rankings of 28 meat alternative brands, andrecommended buys.
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Vegan and plant milks
What is the most ethical and environmentally friendly milk?
We look into the sustainabilityof plant-based milks, including almond, coconut, hemp, rice andsoya; with ethical & environmental rankings for 25 vegan plant milkbrands, and best buy recommendations.
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Vegan cheese
Is vegan cheese better for the environment? What about dairy companies making vegan cheese, palm oil and other ingredients? Ethical & environmental rankings for 18 vegan cheese brands, with Best Buys and what to avoid.
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