Irn-Bru

How ethical is Irn Bru?

Irn Bru is a brand of soft drinks with an above-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Soft Drinks Ratings Table. With a high GSG score, Irn Bru can be considered an ethical brand.

Irn Bru hasn’t yet applied for Ethical Accreditation, but its high score would mean that if it did, it would be able to display The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Mark on its products. We encourage other companies in the Soft Drinks sector to follow Irn Bru’s example and adopt more ethical policies and practices.

What does Irn Bru do?

Irn Bru is a carbonated soft drink produced in Scotland for over a century. The brand even has its own tartan and is known as ‘Scotlan’s other national drink’. The brand is now owned by AG Barr Plc.

In which areas does Irn Bru perform well?

Irn Bru performs well for its Environmental Report, as its parent company, AG Barr, has a 2022 Responsibility Report containing several targets. It also gets a top score for GM as Barr has a Non-GMO statement on its website.

We found no criticisms of Irn Bru relating to; Nuclear, Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare, Political Donations or Armaments,  therefore it scores well across these criteria. Find out more about how we rate.

What can Irn Bru do to improve its score?

The above benchmark score that Irn Bru is awarded on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Soft Drinks Ratings Table is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria.

As Irn Bru already receives a top score in the Ethical Soft Drinks sector, The Good Shopping Guide encourages it to get in touch and apply for Ethical Accreditation. After sending in its application, Irn Bru will be offered the use of The Good Shopping Guide Ethical Mark.

However we would encourage Irn Bru to gain organic certification in order to improve its score. If Irn Bru applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide would be able to offer some guidance on this.

Were you aware that your brand could benefit from Ethical Accreditation? If accredited by The Good Shopping Guide, brands can display our Ethical Mark, showcasing to consumers that it is an ethical and sustainable supplier.  If you’re interested in learning more, please contact us or complete a Free Initial Assessment form.