Mars, Inc. Creator of M&M's, Snickers, Starburst, Twix, Milky Way, Skittles, etc. Supports Cruel Animal Testing: Tell Mars to Stop Deadly Animal Tests

Unbelievable. What useless, meaningless and ridiculous tests. The link to the story is here - http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/marsuk07 .Please read and act.

Article:

Tell Mars to Stop Deadly Animal Tests

Got a sweet tooth?

Think twice before picking up a Mars bar! You should know that candymaker Mars, Inc – the creator of M&M's, Snickers and other sweets – continues to fund deadly animal tests, despite the fact that more reliable human tests are available and that none of the tests are required by law.

Mars in the US is currently funding a deadly University of California experiment on rats to determine the effects of chocolate ingredients on blood vessels. Experimenters force-feed the rats by shoving plastic tubes down their throats and then cut open the rats' legs to expose arteries, which are clamped shut to block blood flow. After the experiment, the animals are killed. Mars' US division has also funded other cruel experiments. Mice were fed a confectionery ingredient and forced to swim in a pool of paint and water. The mice had to find a hidden platform to avoid drowning, and after the experiment they were killed and dissected. In yet another experiment supported by Mars, rats were fed cocoa and then anaesthetised with carbon dioxide. Their blood was collected by having needles jabbed directly into their hearts, which can lead to internal bleeding and other deadly complications.

Mars' US division is also lying to the public, claiming that Mars doesn't fund cruel animal tests for foods, even though PETA US have uncovered a history of such experiments – including the current programme at the University of California.

Mars' top competitor in the US, Hershey's, has pledged that it will not fund or conduct experiments on animals. Please urge Mars to follow Hershey's lead and immediately end all support for animal tests!

Mars UK produces Bounty, Galaxy, Celebrations, M&M's, Mars, Snickers, Twix, Topic, Milky Way, Tracker, Revels, Starburst and Skittles as well as Tunes and Lockets.

You can contact Mars, Inc's American office directly using the form below. Personalised letters always work best: feel free to use the text we've provided, but your message will carry more weight if you use your own words. If you do this, be sure to keep it polite and factual.

To act, visit http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/marsuk07

Masterfoods Turns Back on Vegans: Adds Animal Products to Mars, Twix and Snickers: No Regard for Vegetarian Customers

I’m not sure why they even need to add a product like rennet or whey. It comes down to just simply not caring about vegans and their issues.

Article:

Mars starts using animal products

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6653175.stm?ls


Mars, Snickers and Twix chocolate bars
Masterfoods' brands are household names
Some of the UK's best-selling chocolate bars, such as Mars and Twix, will no longer be suitable for vegetarians.

Also affecting brands such as Snickers and Maltesers, owner Masterfoods said it had started to use animal product rennet to make its chocolate products.

Masterfoods said the change was due to it switching the sourcing of its ingredients and the admission was a "principled decision" on its part.

The Vegetarian Society said the company's move was "incomprehensible".

'Extremely disappointed'

Masterfoods said it had started using rennet from 1 May and non-affected products had a "best before date" up to 1 October.


Masterfoods' decision to use non-vegetarian whey is a backward step
Vegetarian Society

Rennet, a chemical sourced from calves' stomachs, is used in the production of whey.

It will now also be found in Bounty, Minstrels and Milky Way products, and the ice cream versions of all Masterfoods' bars.

"If the customer is an extremely strict vegetarian, then we are sorry the products are no longer suitable, but a less strict vegetarian should enjoy our chocolate," said Paul Goalby, corporate affairs manager for Masterfoods.

The Vegetarian Society said it was "extremely disappointed".

"At a time when more and more consumers are concerned about the provenance of their food, Masterfoods' decision to use non-vegetarian whey is a backward step," it said in a statement.

"Mars products are very popular with young people and many will be shocked to discover that their manufacture now relies on the extraction of rennet from the stomach lining of young calves," it added.