Vegan Gummies UK: How to Check a Gummy Vitamin Is Really Vegan

Most gummies are set with gelatine. Here is how to check a UK gummy vitamin is vegan, ingredient by ingredient, and which nutrients matter on a plant-based diet.

By GUUDIES Editorial Team Published 9 March 2026 Updated 25 October 2026 6 min read

Vegan Gummies UK: How to Check a Gummy Vitamin Is Really Vegan

Last updated 25 October 2026.

Most gummies are not vegan, because they are set with gelatine made from animal bones and skin. Vegan gummies use a plant gel instead, usually pectin from fruit, and avoid animal-derived colourings, glazes and vitamin sources. This guide shows you how to check a label in under a minute, and which nutrients are worth looking for if you eat a plant-based diet.

Quick answer: how to tell if a gummy is vegan

Gelling agent: pectin, agar or starch is plant based. Gelatine is not.
Colours: carmine or cochineal (E120) comes from insects. Fruit and vegetable concentrates are plant based.
Glazes: beeswax (E901) and shellac (E904) are animal derived. Carnauba wax and plant oils are not.
Vitamin D3: often made from lanolin (sheep's wool) unless the label says otherwise.
Look for a claim: a clear "suitable for vegans" statement, or a registered trademark such as the Vegan Society's, saves you checking each line.

Common gummy ingredients: vegan or not?

What to look for on a UK gummy supplement label.
Ingredient	Vegan?	Where it comes from
Gelatine	No	Boiled animal skin, bones and connective tissue
Pectin	Yes	Apple or citrus peel
Agar	Yes	Seaweed
Carmine / cochineal (E120)	No	Crushed cochineal insects
Beeswax (E901)	No	Bees
Shellac (E904)	No	Resin secreted by lac insects
Carnauba wax (E903)	Yes	Palm leaves
Vitamin D3	Depends	Usually lanolin from sheep's wool; vegan D3 is made from lichen
Collagen	No	Fish, cow or pig. There is no plant collagen

The Vegan Society advises checking the source of vitamin D3 specifically, because it is the hidden animal ingredient people most often miss.

Are pectin gummies as good as gelatine gummies?

For carrying vitamins and minerals, yes. The gel is just the vehicle. What decides whether a gummy is worth taking is which nutrients it contains, in what form and at what dose, and whether every amount is declared on the label. Pectin gummies also hold their shape better in warm weather, which is one reason many brands now use them.

Which nutrients do vegans need to think about?

The NHS guidance on the vegan diet highlights vitamin B12, vitamin D, iodine, calcium, iron and omega-3 fats as the nutrients to plan for.

Vitamin B12 is not reliably found in plant foods, so fortified foods or a supplement are needed. The Vegan Society recommends a daily or weekly B12 supplement.
Vitamin D has very few plant food sources, and the NHS advises everyone in the UK to consider 10 micrograms a day in autumn and winter.
Iodine in UK diets comes mainly from milk and white fish, so people who avoid both can fall short. Seaweed varies widely in iodine, so a declared amount is safer than guesswork.
Calcium and iron are best covered by fortified plant milks, pulses, tofu, leafy greens and wholegrains.
Omega-3 (EPA and DHA) in ready-made form comes from algae oil for vegans; flaxseed and walnuts provide ALA, which the body converts only in small amounts.

No single gummy covers all of these well. Calcium in particular needs too much bulk to fit in a gummy at a meaningful dose.

What to look for in a vegan gummy vitamin

Every nutrient declared individually in mg or µg, with its %NRV.
B12, vitamin D and iodine at meaningful amounts if you are vegan.
A clear statement of the vitamin D source.
Low sugar per serving, and no maltitol or sorbitol if you are prone to bloating, since sugar alcohols can upset digestion.
No proprietary blends that hide the amount of each ingredient.

The one gap: collagen

Collagen is an animal protein, and it does not exist in plants. Products sold as "vegan collagen" supply vitamin C, amino acids or other nutrients the body uses to make its own collagen. That can be a reasonable product, but it is not collagen. If a label says "collagen" without "vegan", assume it comes from fish, cows or pigs.

Where GUUDIES fits

Each GUUDIES daily pouch holds six pectin-based gummies, with no gelatine in any of them. Five of the six are vegan. The sixth, Marine Collagen, contains collagen from fish, so it is not vegan and not suitable for anyone with a fish allergy. If you are vegan, leave that one out.

The vegan Daily Greens+ gummy declares 24µg vitamin B12, 20µg vitamin D3 and 38µg iodine per serving, alongside eleven other vitamins and minerals and a 200mg greens blend. The gummies have around 0.4g of sugar each, sweetened with tapioca syrup rather than maltitol. Every amount is listed on the ingredients page. GUUDIES does not contain calcium, iron or omega-3, so plan for those through food or a separate supplement.

Common questions

Are gummy vitamins vegan?

Many are not, because they are made with gelatine. Vegan gummies use pectin, agar or starch instead, and avoid carmine, beeswax, shellac and lanolin-derived vitamin D3.

Is pectin vegan?

Yes. Pectin is a plant fibre taken from apple or citrus peel.

Is vitamin D3 vegan?

Not always. Most vitamin D3 is made from lanolin in sheep's wool. Vegan vitamin D3 is made from lichen and is usually labelled as such.

Can you get vegan collagen gummies?

No product contains plant collagen, because collagen only exists in animals. "Vegan collagen" products supply nutrients the body uses to make its own collagen.

Are GUUDIES vegan?

Five of the six gummies in the pouch are vegan. The Marine Collagen gummy contains fish collagen, so it is not vegan and not suitable for anyone with a fish allergy.

What supplements should vegans take in the UK?

The NHS highlights vitamin B12, vitamin D, iodine, calcium, iron and omega-3 as the nutrients to plan for. B12 needs fortified foods or a supplement, and vitamin D is advised for everyone in autumn and winter.