Posted on the 24th October 2018
After Animal Aid wrote to a number of supermarkets and manufacturers, asking them to tweak their cereal ingredients slightly to make them vegan, we can now announce that Asda has done just that.
Most cereals are fortified with vitamin D, which is essential for calcium absorption and thus bone health and also muscle strength. It is estimated that 1 in 5 UK adults have ‘low’ vitamin D levels, therefore it is important that companies aim to assist this.
However, many of these cereals contain animal-derived vitamin D3; this is most commonly sourced from sheep wool. Vegans avoid wool products for a number of reasons; first being the intrinsic link between the wool industry and the meat industry, and also because of investigations that have shown abhorrent cruelty during the shearing process.
Vegan versions of vitamin D3 are sourced from lichen, and vitamin D2 is always vegan.
Asda has now switched the vitamin D in some of their cereals to a plant-based version of vitamin D or removed it, making a number of their products vegan. Whilst they are still in the process of updating packaging and getting accreditation, we can reveal that the following Asda own-brand cereals are now suitable for vegans:
| Asda Apricot Wheaties 500g |
| Asda Blueberry Wheaties 500g |
| Asda Raspberry Wheaties 500g |
| Asda Raisin Wheaties 500g |
| 24 Wheat Biscuit |
| 48 Wheat Biscuit |
| 72 Wheat Biscuit |
| 24 Choc Biscuit |
| Sultana Bran 550g |
| Special Flakes 500g |
| Special Flakes Red Fruit 375g |
| Fruit & Fibre 500g |
| Fruit & Fibre 750g |
| Branflakes 500g |
| Branflakes 1kg |
| Smartprice Cornflakes |
We will update this list as and when we are able to, but we can confirm that there are more to come.
Making these very simple changes makes shopping that bit easier for those who are new to veganism or want to try more vegan foods. Additionally, making everyday products vegan shows that veganism is normal and accessible, and therefore encourages more people to give it a try.
Animal Aid is now in the process of contacting other supermarkets and manufacturers again, to ask them to follow suit.
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