Marmite

Is Marmite an ethical and sustainable brand? 

Known for its dividing flavour, Marmite is a brand that produces a yeast extract spread. The brand is owned by multinational conglomerate, Unilever Plc.

Unfortunately, Marmite does not currently reach the minimum ethical benchmark within The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Jams & Spreads sector due to its low score. Marmite’s bottom score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Jams & Spreads Ethical Ratings Table means it is not yet eligible for Ethical Accreditation.

Would you like to see how other well-known jam and spread brands rank against Marmite within the Ethical Jams & Spreads sector? Have a look at the Jams & Spreads Ethical Ratings Table. From our Ratings Tables, you can gain further insight into the criteria that a brand must reach in order to achieve a top rating.

All brands are encouraged by The Good Shopping Guide to introduce more ethical and sustainable practices to improve their impact on the Environment, Animals and People.

Which categories does Marmite score well in?

Marmite receives a top rating for our Environmental Report category. Marmite’s parent company Unilever has several sustainability targets which indicate that the company is committed to improving its environmental practices.

Which categories does Marmite score badly in?

Unilever has an Animal Testing Policy which states that it will test certain products on animals to comply with government regulations. Unfortunately, Unilever is also featured on PETA’s list of companies that are working towards ‘regulatory changes to reduce animal testing’. As a result, Marmite receives a bottom rating for Animal Welfare.

Marmite also receives a bottom rating in the Public Record Criticisms category and also qualifies for Public Record Criticisms+, a criterion only included when a company has been subject to multiple serious ethical and/or environmental criticisms in the past five years. This is due to the practices of Unilever, which has been linked to numerous unethical practices, including unsustainable palm oil buying, plastic pollution and human rights abuses.

What can Marmite do to improve its score?

Marmite’s bottom score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Jams & Spreads Ethical Ratings Table is the outcome of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria.

Marmite’s score does not meet The Good Shopping Guide’s minimum ethical benchmark in the Ethical Jams & Spreads sector. In order to become eligible for Ethical Accreditation, Marmite must improve its ethical and environmental record in several areas, which will ultimately improve its score in the Public Record Criticisms category.

Are you curious about how obtaining Ethical Accreditation could be beneficial for your brand? Accredited brands can display The Good Shopping Guide mark, showcasing to consumers that it can be trusted as an ethical and sustainable brand. Visit our Ratings Tables to learn about which brands have been awarded with our ethical certification.

Would you like more information? Please get in touch or fill out a Free Initial Assessment form.