Anger after Tesco reveals its oranges are not vegan friendly
22 August 2022, 11:47 | Updated: 22 August 2022, 14:52
Tesco has sparked anger after confirming that its oranges are not vegan, because the beeswax applied on some of its fruit contains animal products.
The supermarket says it is looking for alternatives to the wax it currently uses, which contains shellac, a resin secreted on trees by female lac bugs on the trees of forests in India and Thailand.
The news that Tesco’s oranges are not vegan has surprised some social media users.
“How?! What can be not vegan about an orange?!”, one person said on Twitter.
“Haha but seriously Tesco’s oranges are not vegan – oranges are not vegan!” said another user.
Because of the wax, vegan customers are unable to use the zest from the orange peel in their cooking.
Other citrus fruits thought to be affected include lemons and limes. Beeswax is applied to citrus fruits to help keep them fresher for longer.
However, the increase in consumers seeking a plant-based diet means Tesco is working with fruit growers to develop a shellac-free wax.
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Last year, restaurant chain Pizza Express revealed that their waxed lemons also contained shellac.
A spokesperson from Tesco said that the practice is industry standard, and preserves the shelf life of the fruit, adding the store also sells organic citrus products and unwaxed lemons, which are suitable for vegans.
