Nature's Path Brownie Mix, truly a vegan company?
Hey,
Has anyone ever used Nature's Path Organic Double Fudge Brownie Mix? I just purchased the mix this morning, and though all the ingredients definitely are vegan, it says: "Made in a facility that uses wheat, soy and milk.
"What is your opinion on a facility that uses milk? I know this is a vegan product, but by purchasing a product that does at times use milk in some of it's products, does my purchase endorse a company that in not totally vegan?
There are lots of products that I purchase that have similar quotes on their packaging, and although the products I buy are organic and vegan,AND no animals were harmed making the product, am I crossing a line that supports a company that is not a truly vegan manufacturer and uses ingredients that ,in the long run, aid to the suffering of animals'?
Your thoughts please ::)!
Continuing that line of logic, we could only shop in stores that only sell vegan products, and we could only eat in all-vegan restaurants. We couldn't buy cars from companies that sell cars with leather in them. We couldn't buy clothes from companies that produce clothes with wool or silk or leather. I'm not sure living that way is possible without a near total separation from society.
I would prefer to allow my dollars to vote vegan. I try to make their vegan products more profitable. I do business with vegan companies when I can, but I don't hesitate to encourage partially vegan companies to market new vegan products because they'll sell.
Interesting questions...
I don't see a problem with purchasing a vegan product from a "non-vegan" company. Boycotting these huge companies isn't really effective because percentage of people who are vegans are so low. By purchasing items that are vegan (and encouraging friends to do the same) you can positively encourage these companies to produce more products like it. I think it is easier to convince someone to use a good, vegan product than to convince someone to quit using a good, non-vegan product so I think it is more effective to spend your time/energy/money on the former.
saturnino & RobinMc,
Very well said by the both of you! :) I very much agree with you Saturnino when you state: " you can positively encourage these companies to produce more products like it"! I think the more vegan products that sell over non vegan items will change their marketing.... and overall, their ingredient selections.
And by RobinMc: "but I don't hesitate to encourage partially vegan companies to market new vegan products because they'll sell."
You both make lots of sense, and it's just sometimes a slippery slope we travel down to be a "total" vegan and support only those companies that follow our dreams and desires!
I agree with the previous comments.
For me, if I have a choice between two products that I need, I will choose the one that is from a company that seems to support my causes more. If I don't have a choice, I will buy the product and not feel bad too about it. I may shop around if I think my options are better elsewhere. Usually, I am just so happy to find something that is vegan in the first place, and I think, "Well, good for Company X for making this!" I think my decision to buy only products with vegan ingredients is a statement in itself. But this is a very personal decision that everyone needs to decide for himself. I am comfortable with my choices and they are not so strict that they prevent me from enjoying life.
There is something to the idea that not buying something won't make much difference, but buying does make a difference. PETA strongly endorses the purchasing of 'accidentally vegan' products from the larger corps so they will have a market to sell animal-free products to. Kinda like the way W*l M*rt is now on the organics bandwagon. While it's hard to accept from such a big ugly entity--don't we have hope that some day all foods will be organic? In order to get there, we have to let the big guys in and be encouraging; not simply hiding in our hippy sect.
A lot of vegan companies are small and cannot afford their own dedicated facilities, so they rent time on larger companies' equipment. It's a pretty difficult thing to avoid, unfortunately.
Hey Tzipporah! I know that's how it works for smaller companies sometimes. I guess it's a necessary evil we vegans deal with ::)
I had a similiar question earlier. I purchased Sunspire's "Vegan Carob Chips", a product that explicitly says "manufactured on equipment shared with shellfish, nuts, wheat, soy, milk, and eggs." I came to the conclusion that since no animal ingredients were added to the product, the product is still vegan. It's vegan because no extra $$ was used to add animal ingredients into the product. We need to encourage these companies to produce more vegan products even if the products are made on equipment that processes non-vegan items. These products aren't any less vegan than they would be if they were made on equipment that manufactures vegan products only. Therefore, buying these products still sends a message to the company that we prefer these products over non-vegan product. It's incredibly difficult to buy products that were made on equipment shared with only vegan ingredients.
Also in the same vein as the "may contain trace amounts of milk, nuts or soy." They're probably putting that stuff on the label to cover their ass to keep from being sued if consumers have allergic reactions.
If it says "may contain trace amounts of milk" I buy it anyway.
This question isn't new to me. I love that you are all approaching it in a very open manner--dissociating veganism from the negative ideology that seems to have attached itself to the concept. It's very important to be a positive, approachable and open advocate of what you believe in, and I think you're all doing just that. Bravo! (:
My thoughts on this issue are of what good comes of even the seemingly insignificant. Sequestering ourselves from society by boycotting all things supposedly 'non-vegan' doesn't help our cause. Acknowledging what suffering is reduced by even the smallest change is a great way to encourage people to take on our cause, demonstrating to them that the smallest change counts--you make a difference even when you choose to stop driving your car or omitting meat from a meal just once a week.