Quaker Oats

How ethical is Quaker Oats?

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

We would have extra confidence in Quaker Oats 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 Breakfast Cereals sector.

What does Quaker Oats do?

Quaker Oats was founded in the US in 1850 by Ferdinand Schumacher as German Mills American Cereal Company. It registered the first trademark for breakfast cereal in 1877, and the brand became The Quaker Oats Company in 1901.

In which areas does Quaker Oats perform poorly?

Quaker Oats was marked down under our criteria for GM as its parent company, PepsiCo Inc., states that it believes GMOs are safe to use. Quaker Oats also receives a bottom score for Political Donations, as PepsiCo donated above our threshold in recent election cycles. Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

Past Criticisms of Quaker Oats’ record

Quaker Oats’ parent company, PepsiCo, came under fire because of allegedly buying palm oil from unethical and harmful sources.

In which areas does Quaker Oats score well for its ethics?

Quaker Oats gets a top rating for its Environmental Report, as PepsiCo has detailed targets and evidence of progress available on its website. Quaker Oats scores well for Nuclear, Fossil Fuels and Armaments due to a lack of criticisms across these criteria.

How can Quaker Oats improve its ethical rating?

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

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