Percy Pig

How ethical is Percy Pig?

Percy Pig is a brand owned by Marks & Spencer Plc which has a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Sweets Ratings Table.

Although Percy Pig has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see the brand make progress in the future.

We would have extra confidence in Percy Pig if it submitted itself to apply for Ethical Accreditation, whereby The Good Shopping Guide would make further detailed assessment and recommendations for ethical improvement.

Find out more about the ethical issues facing the Sweets sector and see how other brands score in our Ethical Sweets Ratings Table.

What does Percy Pig do?

Percy Pig first appeared in Marks & Spencer’s UK stores in 1992. The gummy sweets originally contained gelatin, but a vegetarian version was launched in 2011. Since 2019 all Percy Pig sweets have been gelatin-free, and in 2022 beeswax was removed from the gummies making them a vegan product. There are now 11 different sweets in the Percy Pig range with seasonal variations on top.

In which areas does Percy Pig perform poorly?

Percy Pig was marked down under our criteria for Animal Welfare due to its parent company, Marks & Spencer Plc, has been accused of double standards over the game bird meat it sells.

Percy Pig is not certified as vegetarian so also receives a bottom score for this criterion.

Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

Past Criticisms of Percy Pig’s record

Marks & Spencer Plc was criticised in 2022 for releasing 30 million honey bees into the British countryside. Conservationists warned that this may damage ecosystems.

In which areas does Percy Pigs score well for its ethics?

Percy Pig’s parent company, Marks & Spencer Plc, has a detailed Sustainability Report with targets for carbon emissions, waste and recycling, which also shows evidence of progress. Therefore Percy Pig scores well for its Environmental Report. Percy Pig is also certified as organic and committed to not using GMO ingredients so gets a high score for these criteria.

We found no criticisms of Percy Pig relating to Nuclear or Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare, Political Donations or Armaments so it scores well for these criteria.

How can Percy Pig improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that Percy Pig is awarded on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Sweets Ratings Table is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria.

To reach our minimum ethical benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Percy Pig has some issues to resolve, including gaining vegetarian certification.

If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give Percy Pig some guidance to improve on these areas.

Were you aware that your brand could benefit from Ethical Accreditation? Brands accredited by The Good Shopping Guide can display our Ethical Mark, showcasing to consumers that it is an ethical and sustainable brand.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to attain Ethical Accreditation, please contact us or complete a Free Initial Assessment form.