Tunnock’s

How ethical is Tunnock’s?

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

We would have extra confidence in Tunnock’s 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 Biscuits sector.

What does Tunnock’s do?

Thomas Tunnock Limited, commonly known as Tunnock’s, is a Scottish confectionery company based in Uddingston, Scotland. It was founded in 1890 and expanded in the 1950s to include the core products still produced today.

In which areas does Tunnock’s perform poorly?

Tunnock’s was marked down under our criteria for its Environmental Report due to a lack of available information, Palm Oil as its products contain this ingredient, and for our Organic and Vegetarian criteria due to a lack of certification. Find out more about how we rate by exploring our ethical criteria.

Past Criticisms of Tunnock’s record

Tunnock’s recently became the centre of a row on social media calling for a boycott after it donated snacks to the LGB Alliance conference. LGB Alliance has been criticised for transphobia after dropping the ‘T’ from LGBT in its name, and consequently Tunnock’s was accused of supporting an anti-trans ‘hate group’ online.

In which areas does Tunnock’s score well for its ethics?

We found no criticisms of Tunnock’s relating to GM, Nuclear, Fossil Fuels, Animal Welfare, Political Donations or Armaments, so it scores well for these criteria.

How can Tunnock’s improve its ethical rating?

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

To reach our minimum ethical benchmark and qualify for Ethical Accreditation, Tunnock’s has some issues to resolve, including its use of palm oil. If it applies for Ethical Accreditation, The Good Shopping Guide will be able to give Tunnock’s some guidance on how to improve its score.

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.