The short answer
Many UK sweets are not halal because they contain gelatine from pigs. Haribo says its whole UK range uses pork gelatine, except its Halal products, which use beef gelatine and are clearly marked. Rowntree's uses pork gelatine in Randoms, but none in Fruit Pastilles, Jelly Tots or Fruit Gums. Swizzels Love Hearts and Candy Kittens contain no gelatine at all. The table below checks each brand against its own statement.
What makes a sweet halal or not?
Most chewy and jelly sweets get their bounce from gelatine, which is made from animal skin and bones. In the UK it usually comes from pigs, and pork gelatine is haram.
Gelatine from cows is halal only if the cattle were slaughtered the Islamic way, which a normal UK label does not tell you. So "gelatine" on a pack, with no source, is doubtful.
Sweets with no gelatine are usually fine. Some UK brands use plant-based gelling agents instead, such as pectin or starch.
The brands, checked
| Brand | Verdict | Why | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haribo Halal range (packs marked "Halal") | Halal | Haribo says its Halal products use beef gelatine and are clearly marked. Check for the Halal mark on the pack. | Haribo UK: FAQ |
| Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles, Jelly Tots and Fruit Gums | Halal | Rowntree's says its core range uses no gelatine and every ingredient is suitable for vegans. Not halal certified. | Nestlé UK: Rowntree's |
| Swizzels Love Hearts | Halal | No gelatine. Swizzels marks them suitable for vegetarians, vegans and halal. | Swizzels: Giant Love Hearts |
| Candy Kittens | Halal | A vegan sweet brand. It says it uses plants, not animal gelatine. Not halal certified. | Candy Kittens |
| Swizzels Squashies (for example Tropical) | It depends | Lists gelatine without saying its source, and Swizzels marks them suitable for coeliacs only, not halal. | Swizzels: Squashies Tropical |
| Maynards Bassetts Jelly Babies | It depends | Lists gelatine without saying its source. Not halal certified. | Tesco: Maynards Bassetts Jelly Babies ingredients |
| Haribo standard UK range (including Maoam and Chamallows) | Not halal | Haribo says its UK range contains gelatine from pork. | Haribo UK: FAQ |
| Rowntree's Randoms, Squidgers and Lollies | Not halal | Rowntree's says it uses pork gelatine in these products. | Nestlé UK: Rowntree's |
Verdict key
The same brand can be different in the UK
A brand's halal status often changes from country to country. Haribo makes halal-certified sweets with beef gelatine, but its standard UK packs use pork gelatine. So a Haribo pack marked Halal can be halal while a standard UK pack is not. Always check the pack, not just the brand name.
How can you check any pack yourself?
- Look for "gelatine" in the ingredients. If it does not say the source, treat it as doubtful.
- Look for a halal logo and the name of the certifier. Haribo marks its halal packs clearly.
- Look for "suitable for vegans." Vegan sweets contain no gelatine.
- Check again after recipe changes. Rowntree's removed gelatine from Fruit Pastilles in 2020 and 2021, so very old packs may differ.
Frequently asked questions
Is Haribo halal in the UK?
Not the standard UK range. Haribo says its UK products contain gelatine from pork, including Maoam and Chamallows. Its Halal products use beef gelatine and are clearly marked as halal.
Are Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles halal?
They contain no gelatine. Rowntree's says its core Fruit Pastilles, Jelly Tots and Fruit Gums use no gelatine and are suitable for vegans. They are not halal certified, but they contain nothing from animals.
Are Randoms halal?
No. Rowntree's says it uses pork gelatine in Randoms, Squidgers and Rowntree's Lollies.
Are Squashies halal?
They are doubtful. Swizzels lists gelatine in Squashies without saying where it comes from, and does not mark them as halal.
Which UK sweets have no gelatine?
Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles, Jelly Tots and Fruit Gums, Swizzels Love Hearts and Candy Kittens are some examples. Check the pack, as recipes change.
Related guides
Sources & further reading
- Haribo UK: Frequently asked questions (gelatine)Checked October 29, 2026
- Nestlé UK: Rowntree's (gelatine in each range)Checked October 29, 2026
- Swizzels: Giant Love Hearts ingredients and suitabilityChecked October 29, 2026
- Swizzels: Squashies Tropical ingredientsChecked October 29, 2026
- Tesco: Maynards Bassetts Jelly Babies ingredientsChecked October 29, 2026
- Candy Kittens: gelatine-free vegan sweetsChecked October 29, 2026
- Confectionery News (2020): Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles to drop gelatineChecked October 29, 2026
We present the evidence we found and when we checked it — we do not issue Islamic rulings. Formulations change and differ by country, so confirm directly before you rely on this. You decide. How we research these answers.
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