Is Haribo Vegan?

Most Haribo sweets are not vegan. They contain pork or beef gelatin, beeswax, and carmine. A small number of lines are labelled vegan.

Is Haribo Vegan?

Most are not. The classic Haribo ranges (Goldbears, Starmix, Tangfastics, Supermix) contain pork or beef gelatin and are not vegan. A small number of lines, including Jelly Beans and Rainbow Strips Z!NG in the UK, are labelled vegan by Haribo.

Why It's Confusing

Haribo operates globally but does not apply one vegan policy across markets. Recipes, gelatin source, and certification vary by country and factory. The German range carries V-Label certified vegetarian and vegan lines [[3]](#source-3); the UK range labels a handful of products as vegan on-pack [[1]](#source-1)[[2]](#source-2); the US range relies on gelatin across almost the entire core lineup.

"Vegetarian" on a Haribo pack is not the same as vegan. Pico-Balla in Germany, for example, is the country's best-selling vegetarian fruit gum but is not vegan. Halal Haribo, produced at the Turkish factory with beef gelatin instead of pork, is also not vegan. The same ingredient categories appear across the range, gelatin, carmine, and shellac, under different names on different packs.

For the UK-specific breakdown of which products to check and what the labels mean in practice, see Is Haribo Vegan UK?.

Where It Commonly Appears

Not vegan (standard recipe, most markets):

  • Goldbears / Goldbären
  • Starmix
  • Tangfastics
  • Supermix
  • Giant Strawbs
  • Happy Cherries
  • Fizzy Cola Bottles
  • MAOAM Stripes (gelatin)

Vegan, on-pack (UK, current packaging):

  • Jelly Beans [[1]](#source-1)
  • Rainbow Strips Z!NG [[2]](#source-2)
  • Rainbow Twists (selected packs, check label)

Vegetarian but not vegan (Germany, V-Label "vegetarian"):

  • Pico-Balla
  • Color-Rado (selected versions)

What To Watch For

Under EU Regulation 1169/2011 and equivalent UK rules, animal-derived ingredients must be named on packaged food [[6]](#source-6). Check the ingredients list for:

  • Gelatin, gelatine, beef gelatin, pork gelatin
  • Beeswax (E901), white beeswax
  • Carmine, cochineal, E120, natural red 4
  • Shellac (E904), confectioner's glaze
  • "Suitable for vegetarians" is not sufficient. Look for "suitable for vegans" or the V-Label vegan mark

Vegan Alternatives

Within Haribo:

  • Jelly Beans (UK) [[1]](#source-1)
  • Rainbow Strips Z!NG (UK) [[2]](#source-2)
  • V-Label vegan lines listed on Haribo Germany's Veggie hub [[3]](#source-3)

Outside Haribo:

  • Candy Kittens (all gummies vegan)
  • The Natural Confectionery Co. (selected jelly lines)
  • Mr Stanley's Vegan Sweets
  • Goody Good Stuff