Oreo

How ethical is Oreo?

Oreo is a biscuit brand which has a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Biscuits Ratings Table. Although Oreo has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see the brand make progress in the future.

We would have extra confidence in Oreo if it applied  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 Biscuits sector.

What does Oreo do?

Oreo is a brand of sandwich biscuit comprised of two cocoa biscuits with a sweet fondant filling. It was introduced by Nabisco in 1912 and is now owned by Mondelēz International.

In which areas does Oreo perform poorly?

Oreo was marked down under our criteria for GMO as its parent company, Mondelēz International, states that it believes GMO ingredients are safe to use. Mondelēz states that it still uses animal testing where required by law, so Oreo receives a bottom rating for Animal Welfare. Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

Past Criticisms of Oreo’s record

Oreo’s parent company, Mondelēz International, has been accused of not coming through on its promise to scale back its presence in Russia during the Ukrainian war. The company has also come under fire for contributing to deforestation and child labour through its supply chain due to a lack of transparency surrounding its cocoa sources. There have been numerous other claims made against Mondelēz relating to child labour, land-grabs, use of harmful pesticides and destruction of forests for soya production.

In which areas does Oreo score well for its ethics?

Oreo’s parent company, Mondelēz International, has a report entitled ‘Snacking Made Right’ which includes lots of environmental targets, giving it a good score for its Environmental Report.

Oreo scores well for Nuclear, Fossil Fuels and Armaments due to a lack of criticisms across these criteria.

How can Oreo improve its ethical rating?

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

To reach our minimum ethical benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Oreo has some issues to resolve, including its use of GMOs. If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give Oreo some guidance on how to improve its score.

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.