Trying to work out if the popular chocolate brand, Bournville, is vegan and cruelty free is a tough task.
The answer to this question can be difficult to answer since Cadbury, the parent company of Bournville, has changed the recipe a few times.
To ensure that you are eating vegan and cruelty-free chocolate, I’ve investigated Bournville’s ingredients and sourcing to provide a comprehensive answer. Here’s what I’ve found.
Is Bournville Vegan?
Unfortunately, Bournville chocolate is no longer vegan. Cadbury, the food brand behind Bournville, changed its recipe multiple times in 2021 to include milk products.
In November of that same year, Cadbury released their vegan Cadbury Plant Bar, which leads many vegans to speculate that the reason for the recipe change is to get people to buy the more expensive vegan version of the chocolate.
As it currently stands, Bournville is not vegan because of the addition of milk products to the recipe.
Is Bournville Cruelty Free?
Cadbury’s Bournville cannot be considered cruelty free because of its use of palm oil. The problem with palm oil is that its production leads to the destruction of animal habitats, causing the endangerment or extinction of many animals.
Because of the deforestation caused by palm oil production, many animals are left homeless and hungry. Many animals starve and others get lost in palm oil plantations where they are killed for ‘trespassing’ on the property.
Orphaned baby orangutans are a common sight in palm oil plantations, often getting sold into the pet trade, where they live short lives filled with abuse and neglect.
While Cadbury’s Bournville may not be intentionally harming animals, unsustainably sourced palm oil still causes harm to many animals. Because of this, Bournville cannot be considered cruelty free and should be avoided by people who care about animal welfare.
What Is Bournville Made Of?
Here are the ingredients of Bournville:
- Sugar
- Cocoa butter
- Cocoa mass
- Palm oil
- Emulsifiers (soya lecithins, E476)
- Skimmed milk powder
Let’s break down each ingredient of Bournville:
Sugar
Most sugar brands in the UK, where Bournville is produced, are vegan and cruelty free. They do not use bone char or animal products in their processing, making them safe for vegans to consume.
Cocoa butter
This ingredient is a type of fat extracted from cocoa beans. It’s often used in chocolate production and has a rich, creamy texture. It does not contain any animal products and no animals are harmed in its production.
Cocoa mass
Cocoa mass is a type of chocolate that has cocoa butter removed from it, leaving only the cocoa solids. It is often used in recipes that require less fat than regular chocolate. Cocoa mass does not contain any animal products and no animals are harmed in its production.
Palm oil
Palm oil is plant based, so it’s vegan. However, it is not considered cruelty free unless sustainably sourced, since its production often involves the destruction of animal habitats. Many animals living in areas where palm oil is produced are displaced or killed as a result of this deforestation.
Skimmed milk powder
This is a powder made from milk that has had the fat removed from it. It is an animal product and is therefore not vegan. It is also not cruelty free because, in general, the production of milk involves the mistreatment of animals, unless the product maintains cruelty-free certifications, which this one does not.
Why Is Bournville Not Vegan?
Bournville is not vegan because it contains animal-derived ingredients in the form of milk powder. These milk products exploit cows for their milk. In the dairy industry, cows are often kept in cramped and dirty conditions, and they are subjected to cruel treatment such as tail docking, dehorning, and branding.
In addition to not being cruelty free, Bournville chocolate poses an allergy risk for anyone with a milk allergy.
Is Bournville Cocoa Powder Vegan?
Yes. Compared to the Bournville chocolate bar, the cocoa powder does not have milk as an active ingredient, so it is vegan. The ‘may have milk’ warning is due to potential cross contamination from factory equipment.
Is Cadbury’s Bournville Dark Chocolate Vegan?
The standard dark chocolate recipe for Bournville contains milk, making it unsuitable for vegans. However, there is a vegan version of Bournville dark chocolate that does not contain milk products.
Is Bournville Fingers Vegan?
Yes. Unlike the chocolate bar, Bournville Fingers are dairy free and vegan. You may see a warning about ‘may contain milk’ but this is due to the possible, albeit low, chance of cross contamination from factory equipment. In general, Bournville Fingers are safe for vegan consumption.
Is Bournville Orange Vegan?
No. The standard recipe for Bournville Orange contains skimmed milk powder, making it unsuitable for vegans.
Are Bournville Giant Buttons Vegan?
No. The standard recipe for Bournville Giant Buttons contains milk, making it unsuitable for vegans.
Are Bournville Classic Dark Chocolate Cookies Vegan?
No. Bournville Cookies contain milk and eggs, making them unsuitable for vegan consumption.
Is Cadbury Highlights Bournville Vegan?
No. Cadbury Highlights Bournville is milk chocolate. It is not safe for vegan consumption.
Is Bournville Old Jamaica Vegan?
No. Bournville Old Jamaica contains milk fat as an ingredient. It is not safe for vegan consumption.
Are Bournville Easter Eggs Vegan?
Yes. Bournville Easter eggs don’t have any milk or other animal derivatives in them, making them suitable for vegans to consume.
Vegan Alternative to Bournville Chocolate Bar
There are many vegan-friendly chocolate bars on the market that are similar to Bournville:
- Nomo Chocolate Bars
- Plamil Chocolate Bars
- Moo Free Chocolate Bars
- Doisy & Dam Chocolate Bars
- Alter Eco Dark Chocolate Bars
- Pana Chocolate Bars
- Raw Halo Chocolate Bars
- Seed and Bean
Final Words
Bournville chocolate is not vegan because it contains milk products. This popular chocolate used to be enjoyed by many vegans, but since the company switched to using milk in their recipe, it is no longer suitable for vegan diets.
And because of their use of palm oil, Bournville is also not cruelty free. There are many vegan chocolate bars on the market that you can choose from if you’re looking for a vegan and cruelty-free alternative.