Halal Brand Guide

Mars UK/EU products have no halal certification. The key concern is E471 (mono & diglycerides of fatty acids) — present in most Mars chocolate bars — which can be derived from animal or plant fat. The source is not disclosed. Skittles and Starburst have removed carmine (E120) from the US recipe, but UK/EU formulations must be checked separately. Muslims in the UK should treat standard Mars products as Mushbooh until certification is obtained.

United States · Milk chocolate, Caramel chocolate

Nestlé products cannot be assessed as a single category — halal status varies by product, country of manufacture, and formulation. KitKat UK contains E471 and has no halal certification. Quality Street contains gelatin in some pieces. Nestlé states that products carrying a vegetarian logo use plant-sourced E471, but no blanket UK halal certification exists. KitKat in Malaysia and the Middle East is halal-certified. Individual product checking is essential.

Switzerland · Wafer chocolate bars, Aerated chocolate

Nissin instant noodles are not halal-certified in the UK, US, or EU. Flavour sachets in meat varieties may contain non-halal animal extracts (E627, E631, natural flavours). Nissin Malaysia and Indonesia produce JAKIM/MUI certified halal products — but these are not the same formulations sold in Western markets.

Japan · Cup Noodles, Demae Ramen

Pringles is halal where it carries a JAKIM (Malaysia) or GCC halal logo on the can. Standard UK, EU and US Pringles are not halal-certified — most plain flavours are eaten by Muslims at their own discretion, but cheese, sour cream, bacon and ham varieties contain ingredients that are mushbooh or clearly haram.

United States (manufactured globally by Kellanova) · Stacked potato crisps, Tortilla chips

Jelly Belly jelly beans contain confectioner's glaze (E904/shellac) — derived from lac insects. Scholars differ on E904: some consider it halal, others haram. Some flavours also contain carmine (E120) which is haram. No halal certification. Approach: Mushbooh — verify or avoid.

United States · Jelly beans, Gummies

Plain Kellogg's cereals are generally considered halal — grain-based with no animal-derived additives. Some products contain E471 (emulsifier) from an unconfirmed source or vitamin D3 from lanolin. Kellogg's does not hold blanket halal certification for its UK or US range.

United States · Breakfast cereals, Cereal bars

Plain McVitie's biscuits (Digestives, Rich Tea, HobNobs) are generally considered halal — no animal-derived additives. Chocolate-coated varieties contain E471 from an unconfirmed source, making them Mushbooh without halal certification. Jaffa Cakes and other products should be checked individually.

United Kingdom · Biscuits, Chocolate biscuits

Walkers plain and Ready Salted crisps are considered halal — potatoes, vegetable oil, salt. Flavoured crisps require individual checks: E631 (flavour enhancer) is present in some varieties and may be animal-derived. No halal certification on the standard UK range.

United Kingdom · Crisps, Baked snacks

Cadbury UK holds no halal certification. Products contain E442 (ammonium phosphatides) and E476 (PGPR) - emulsifiers that can be derived from animal fat. Until Cadbury discloses the source or obtains certification, UK products are Mushbooh. Cadbury products sold in Pakistan, Malaysia, and Egypt are manufactured locally and may hold regional halal certification.

United Kingdom · Milk chocolate, Dark chocolate

Hovis bread contains E471 (mono- and diglycerides) and E920 (L-Cysteine) in many products - both of which can be derived from non-halal animal sources. A limited number of Hovis lines carry HFA (Halal Food Authority) certification, but this does not apply across the full range. Always check the specific pack for a halal logo.

United Kingdom · Sliced bread, Wholemeal bread

Rowntree's is split: Fruit Pastilles and Jelly Tots contain no gelatine and are generally considered halal. Wine Gums, Randoms, and Jelly Snakes contain gelatine, which in UK products is almost certainly pork-derived. Always check the specific product ingredients.

United Kingdom · Gummy sweets, Fruit sweets

Most Haribo products in the UK/EU contain pork gelatine and are not halal. Dedicated halal-certified Haribo ranges exist in Turkey, some Middle Eastern countries, and selected UK halal stores — but they are packaged separately.

Germany · Gummy sweets, Jellies