Cobra

How ethical is Cobra?

Cobra is a brand of alcoholic drinks which has a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Beer, Lager & Cider Ratings Table. Although Cobra has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see the brand make progress in the future.

We would have extra confidence in Cobra 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 Ethical Beer, Lager & Cider sector.

What does Cobra do?

Cobra is a brand of beer which was founded in 1989 by Lord Karan Bilimoria in the UK, using a traditional Indian blend of barley malt and yeast.

In which areas does Cobra perform poorly?

Cobra was marked down under our criteria for GM as parent company, Molson Coors, has a GMO statement on its website confirming the use of GMOs in some markets. It also gets a bottom score for Organic due to a lack of certification.

Cobra is given a bottom rating for Animal Welfare as Molson Coors confirms that it does test on animals when required to by law. It also gets a bottom score for Political Donations as Molson Coors donated above our threshold amount in recent election cycles.

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

Past Criticisms of Cobra’s record

As You Sow recently graded Molson Coors a D+ in its Corporate Plastic Pollution Scorecard for its contribution to plastic packaging pollution.

In which areas does Cobra score well for its ethics?

Cobra scores well for its Environmental Report as Molson Coors’ People & Planet Goals section includes targets for 2025 including water, carbon emissions and packaging. Cobra also gets a top rating for our Vegetarian criterion as it is certified by The Vegetarian Society.

We found no criticisms of Cobra relating to; Nuclear, Fossil Fuels or Armaments,  therefore the brand scores well for these criteria. Find out more about how we rate.

How can Cobra improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that Cobra is awarded with on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Beer, Lager & Cider Ratings Table is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria.

To reach our minimum ethical benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Cobra 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 Cobra 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.