Tic Tac

How ethical is Tic Tac?

Tic Tac is a brand owned by Ferrero S.p.A. which has a below-benchmark score on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Sweets Ratings Table.

Although Tic Tac has not yet met our ethical benchmark, we hope to see the brand make progress in the future.

We would have extra confidence in Tic Tac if it submitted itself to apply 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 Sweets sector and see how other brands score in our Ethical Sweets Ratings Table.

What does Tic Tac do?

Tic Tac is a brand of small, hard mints that come in plastic tubs with flip-open lids. Tic Tac was created in 1969 and claims to be the product which invented a category of sweets known as ‘Pocket Sweets’.

In which areas does Tic Tac perform poorly?

Tic Tac was marked down under our criteria for GMO and Palm Oil, as the brand uses both (the palm oil is RSPO) in its products.

Tic Tac is not certified as vegetarian so also receives a bottom score for this criterion.

In recent election cycles, Tic Tac’s parent company, Ferrero, donated over $27K so the brand receives a middle rating.

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

Past Criticisms of Tic Tac’s record

Ferrero has faced numerous criticisms in the past relating to poor treatment of its workers and possible use of child labour. Ferrero was also named by Break Free From Plastic as South America’s third worst plastic polluter. In 2022 a complaint was filed against Ferrero relating to E. Coli and Salmonella outbreaks, and Foodwatch France lists seven offences of endangering the lives of others.

In which areas does Tic Tac score well for its ethics?

Tic Tac’s parent company, Ferrero, has a Sustainability Report with targets for carbon emissions and packaging, which also includes evidence of progress.

We found no criticisms of Tic Tac relating to Nuclear or Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare or Armaments so it scores well for these criteria.

How can Tic Tac improve its ethical rating?

The below-benchmark score that Tic Tac is awarded on The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Sweets Ratings Table is the result of an evaluation of multiple ethical criteria.

To reach our minimum ethical benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Tic Tac has some issues to resolve, including  its use of palm oil and GMO ingredients, and lack of vegetarian certification.

If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give Tic Tac 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 about how to attain Ethical Accreditation, please contact us or complete a Free Initial Assessment form.