Oatly

How ethical and sustainable is Oatly? 

The Good Shopping Guide’s Vegan Milk Ethical Ratings Table includes Oatly, a plant-based milk brand. Oatly does not meet our ethical standards, but we hope that the business will make improvements in the future to become more ethical.

For more information about the importance of Organic milk visit The Good Shopping Guide to Ethical Vegan Milk. Here, you can also compare Oatly to other brands in our Ethical Vegan Milk Rating Table.
  
What does Oatly do?

Oatly was founded in 1994 by a pair of Swedish brothers. The brand worked with baristas (rather than supermarkets) to develop a presence within coffee shops. Oatly produces a range of vegan milk-based products such as ice cream, yoghurt substitutes and custard but is most famously known for its plant-based milk. Oatly is owned by Oatly Group AB.

For which criteria does Oatly perform poorly? 

Oatly receives a low rating in  the Organic category, as the brand does not produce any organic-certified milks.

Additionally, Oatly receives a bottom rating for Public Record Criticisms, as the company has been embroiled in several controversies. The most notable issue is its minority ownership by The Blackstone Group. an investment company known for investment in industries contributing to deforestation. This, amongst other issues, has resulted in Oatly being accused of greenwashing on several occasions.

To find out more about the methodology we use for our research, see our How We Rate page.

In what areas does Oatly score well for its ethics?

Oatly scores well in the Animal Welfare criterion, as it has not been linked to animal testing or any animal abuse issues.

How can Oatly improve its ethical rating?

The Good Shopping Guide calculates a brand’s Ethical Rating based on three categories: the Environment, People, and Animals. For more precise ideas on how to improve, Oatly should apply for Ethical Accreditation.

Oatly could improve its Ethical Rating by tackling the claims of the brand greenwashing and producing organic-certified milk products.

Why not check out The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Accreditation if you work for or with a vegan milk company that places ethics high on its priority list? Contact us to learn more, or complete our short form for an initial sustainability and ethics evaluation.