Sweet(s) Taste of Victory

UK. When Masterfoods, owner of brands such as Snickers, Maltesers and bestselling chocolate bars, Mars and Twix, announced that the treats would no longer be suitable for vegetarians, they were in for a rather unpleasant surprise. Masterfoods said it had started using rennet, a chemical sourced from calves' stomachs, which is used in the production of whey, from 1 May. The non-affected products had a "best before date" up to 1 October. The company said the change was due to it switching the sourcing of its ingredients and the admission was a "principled decision" on its part.

The Vegetarian Society’s reaction was as expected. In a statement, they said that they were "extremely disappointed and that at a time when more and more consumers are concerned about the provenance of their food, Masterfoods' decision to use non-vegetarian whey is a backward step". The reaction from Masterfoods was an absolute classic. "If the customer is an extremely strict vegetarian, then we are sorry the products are no longer suitable, but a less strict vegetarian should enjoy our chocolate," said corporate affairs manager Paul Goalby.

Less strict vegetarians anyone? Things can be so simple in the world of nonvegetarians. The reaction against Masterfood's decision, therefore, must have hit them like the proverbial ton of bricks.

The Vegetarian Society followed Masterfoods' announcement by immediately urging members to complain to the company, their MP or local newspaper. Within a week, the firm had received more than 6,000 calls and e-mails and 40 MPs had signed a petition. Masterfoods, not reckoning on the UK's vegetarians and their supporters being quite such a force, did a swift U-turn, apologised and reverted to the old adage of " the consumer is our boss". Dr Annette Pinner, chief executive of the Vegetarian Society, said she was pleased Mars had been "honest enough" to admit it had "made a mistake".

Victory tastes as sweet as a Mars bar. Power to the Strict Vegetarians!