Lurpak

How ethical is Lurpak?

Lurpak is a brand of butter which has a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Butter, Margarine & Spreads Ratings Table. Although Lurpak has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see the brand make progress in the future.

We would have extra confidence in Lurpak 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 Butter, Margarine & Spreads sector.

What does Lurpak do?

Lurpak is a brand of block and spreadable butter which is owned by Arla Foods.

In which areas does Lurpak perform poorly?

We awarded a bottom rating to Lurpak for Organic, as it does not have any certification for its products. It receives a middle rating for our GM criterion, as it is not clear from its website whether GMOs are present in Lurpak’s products. Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

Past Criticisms of Lurpak’s record

An investigation by ITV News, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, and Greenpeace Unearthed has linked several brands, including those owned by Arla Foods, to the destruction of vast tracts of Brazilian forest through soya farming.

In which areas does Lurpak score well for its ethics?

Lurpak’s parent company, Lurpak Foods, has a number of Sustainability pages on its website containing lots of targets in areas including carbon emissions and food waste, so Lurpak receives a top rating for its Environmental Report.

We found no public record criticisms of Lurpak relating to Nuclear, Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare or Armaments, so it scores well for these criteria.

How can Lurpak improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that Lurpak is awarded with on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Butter, Margarine & Spreads Ratings Table is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria.

To reach our minimum ethical benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Lurpak has some issues to resolve, including its lack of Organic certification, and unclear GMO policy. If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give Lurpak 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, please contact us or complete a Free Initial Assessment form.