Never has a slogan been more true. Once you pop, you really can’t stop. Packed full of flavour, this crisp is iconic for both its taste and its shape. Crisps in a tube? The person who invented that was a genius.
He really was. In fact, Fredric Baur was so proud of his invention that he asked for some of his ashes to be buried in a Pringles tube. We’re serious.
Now onto the most important question of the day. Are Pringles vegan?
The answer? Some are. Many of the flavours available in the UK contain animal products, but there is also a good selection that don’t, so there are definitely options for you to choose from.
Vegomm score: 75%
- Brand is certified vegan: NO
- Brand offers a selection of vegan products: YES
- Brand tests on animals: NO
- Parent company tests other brands on animals: NO
Are you curious about Doritos' vegomm score? Check our article answering if Doritos crisps are vegan.
Are Pringles Certified Vegan?
No. Pringles aren’t certified vegan and currently, never will be. While they have a range of vegan flavours available, these are all made in the same factory as the non-vegan Pringles. As there is always a risk of cross-contamination, no matter how strict the factory is, our favourite crisps in a tube won’t receive official vegan certification.
Is Not Being Vegan Certified a Problem?
This is entirely a personal preference. There are some vegans who prefer to avoid these big brands and eat only snacks that were designed to be vegan in a deliberate way. As there is always the chance of cross-contamination, this does make sense.
Yet, the ingredients in vegan Pringles contain no animal products, and as this risk of cross-contamination is very small, there are also a lot of vegans who don’t mind this at all. You just have to decide what’s right for you!
If you do decide that you’re ok to get on the Pringles vegan train, then boy do we have a treat in store for you. Full steam ahead!
Which Pringles are Vegan?
You’ve been patiently for us to get to the main part. What Pringles are vegan? Read on for the lowdown on every flavour available to buy in the UK. The recipes in Europe and the US may vary, so always double-check that label! Most of the time, the crisps are labelled clearly as suitable for vegans and/or suitable for vegetarians.
Are Original Pringles Vegan?
Yes. The original flavour remains the most popular, and once you’ve had a taste, it’s not hard to understand why. Original Pringles have always been vegan, which means there’s at least one staple flavour that we can rely on.
Are Pringles Cheesy Cheese Pringles Vegan?
No. As the name might suggest, these Pringles contain milk products that give them that extra cheesy flavour. They are suitable for vegetarians.
Are Prawn Cocktail Pringles Vegan?
No. Sad to say it, but this staple British flavour also contains products derived from milk, so aren’t vegan Pringles. Again, they are OK for vegetarians.
Are Thai Sweet Chilli Pringles Vegan?
Yes. These magnificent curved crisps are animal product free, so you can pop and not stop to your stomachs content.
Are Roast Chicken & Herbs Pringles Vegan?
No. Roast Chicken & Herbs Pringles aren’t suitable for vegans. In fact, not only do they contain the usual milk products, but they also contain chicken fat as well, meaning they’re not for vegetarians either.
Are Salt & Vinegar Pringles Vegan?
No. This is a sad one because I personally love salt and vinegar flavour on absolutely anything. Milk products are used in these Pringles to enhance their flavour, and so these salt and vinegar crisps aren’t vegan. They are classed as suitable for vegetarians.
Are Cheese & Onion Pringles Vegan?
No. Not surprising, because of the cheese flavour. Most items with cheese flavouring contain milk, and so, therefore, aren’t vegan. Again, these crisps are vegetarian.
Are Paprika Pringles Vegan?
Yes. Made just with that mouth-watering paprika flavour, it’s hard to get enough of these vegan Pringles.
Are Sour Cream & Onion Pringles Vegan?
No. These Pringles contain milk products, so while they are suitable for vegetarians, they’re not vegan.
Are Hot & Spicy Pringles Vegan?
Yes. If you can handle the heat, you can have that burning sensation in your mouth all day long. Containing no animal products, Hot & Spicy Pringles are vegan.
Are Smokey Bacon Pringles Vegan?
Yes. We know, it says bacon in the name, so normally this would hint that contains animal products. Not so with Smokey Bacon Pringles. All of the flavourings come from spices and wood smoke, meaning they’re vegan.
Are Piri Chicken Pringles Vegan?
No. Piri Chicken Pringles aren’t vegan. They contain milk products. They don’t contain any actual chicken in their flavouring, however, so they are suitable for vegetarians.
Are Flame-Grilled Steak Pringles Vegan?
No. Again, milk products come into play, but the Flame-Grilled Steak Pringles also contains beef, so aren’t even vegetarian.
Are Steak Pringles Vegan?
No. These Pringles contain milk, so aren’t vegan. This steak flavour is vegetarian, however.
Recap: Are Pringles Vegan?
So there you have it. We’ve gone through all of the standard Pringles flavours available in the UK. Pringles aren’t certified vegan, but if that doesn’t bother you, then you have five flavours that you can choose from.
- Original
- Thai Sweet Chilli
- Paprika
- Hot & Spicy
- Smokey Bacon
Are Pringles Cruelty Free?
Yes. Pringles are not tested on animals. Pringles are currently owned by Kellogg’s, which is a cruelty free company. In 2019 Kellogg’s stopped its decades-long animal testing practices after a petition by PETA. Before this, Kellogg’s began testing as early as 1954, to try and back up some of the health claims they were making about their products.
Luckily, they have now ended all of these tests, and are committed to being cruelty free in the future. While Kellogg’s do sell their products in China, none of these products are cosmetics, and so are not subject to the mandatory testing that China has for these items.
Are Other Pringles Products Vegan?
Pringles has expanded its range over the years to include a number of different types of stacked snack.
Unfortunately, the majority of the flavours available in these other products aren’t vegan, so on the whole, it’s easier to just avoid them and stick to the old faithful.
PRINGLES SIZZL'N
- Kickin Sour Cream
- Extra Hot Cheese & Chill
- Spicy BBQ
None of these flavours are vegan. Which is a shame as the sound incredible. Unfortunately, all of them contain products derived from milk which means that they’re not vegan. Not the crisps for your Friday movie night. All of these flavours are however suitable for vegetarians.
PRINGLES – RICE FUSION
- Japanese Katsu Curry
- Malaysian Red Curry
- Peking Duck with Hoisin Sauce
- Indian Tandoori Chicken Masala
- Japanese BBQ Teriyaki
Made with rice powder to give them a distinctive texture, Rice Fusion Pringles aren’t vegan. While they’ve been popular ever since they were released, due partly because of people’s perceptions that rice = healthier, they all contain milk products. Are Pringles vegetarian? Well, unlike the normal Roast Chicken & Herbs flavour, all of the Rice Fusion Pringles are vegetarian, even the duck and chicken varieties.
PRINGLES – TORTILLA CHIPS
- Sour Cream
- Original
- Nacho
Of course, it was only a matter of time before Pringles got onto the tortilla chip bandwagon, and we are so glad that they did. While both Sour Cream and Nacho are not vegan, the Original flavour is vegan. Happy days!
Final Thoughts
Are Pringles cruelty-free and vegan? Yes and no. While their parent company Kellogg’s has made determined steps forward and now no longer tests on animals, Pringles still won’t be vegan certified unless it has a new factory dedicated solely to making vegan crisps.
While we think that’s unlikely to happen, there are five great flavours of Pringles that are suitable to vegans, as well as one in their tortilla range. That’s good news all round.