Latest news with #vegan
Daily Mail
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Renault to stop using leather interiors after talks with PETA
A major French car maker has committed to eliminating the use of animal leather interiors across its entire range by the end of the year in a move that will make vegans very happy indeed. While the decision, confirmed by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), will see Renault ditch animal leather options from its global car line-up in a few months' time, it has already stopped offering leather seats and steering wheels to UK customers. 'True luxury is free from cruelty – and Renault understands that. By refusing to work with leather, Renault is helping save animal lives, reduce its environmental impact, and prove that compassion and innovation go hand in hand,' PETA's vice president of corporate projects, Yvonne Taylor, said. The international animal rights organisation estimates the global leather trade is responsible for the death of one billion animals every year. It adds that three cow or bull hides are used per car cabin. But not every car manufacturer is taking this vegan-friendly direction. A PETA study carried out last year listed the brands that currently use leather-alternative materials but also highlighted those sticking with traditional hides. Find out which brands aren't appeasing the vegans below... The animal rights group has taken aim at the motor industry's continued use of leather, claiming it is a highly polluting part of the manufacturing process. While it suggests three cow hides are used for a typically medium-size family car, bigger luxury models can require up to 15 animal skins in total. 'Due to the thicker hides used, non-vegan car interiors tend to have an even worse environmental impact than fashion items made from animal skins,' PETA says. 'Transforming animal hides into leather requires up to 170 chemicals (including cyanide, chromium, and coal-tar derivatives), which are toxic to human tannery workers and poison waterways. One report also linked leather car interiors to illegal land clearing and biodiversity loss,' it added. The organisation noted a range of new Renault models have already axed leather. The Renault 5 E-Tech Electric , Symbioz and Rafale all feature seats made from eco-friendly fabrics made with recycled plastic waste from landfill and other recycled textiles. However, vegans in the UK will be pleased to hear that Renault has been selling new cars with sustainable alternative upholsteries for years with a selection of organic and recyclable materials coming as standard. It's only in foreign markets that the French firm still offers animal leather cabins. And Renault isn't the only brand to offer vegan-friendly cabins. Abarth, BYD, Citroen, Dacia, Fiat, Jeep, Mini, Peugeot, Polestar, Smart, Vauxhall and Volvo largely offer leather-alternative interiors across the majority of their ranges, according to PETA's European Vegan Car Interior Survey last year. Tesla failed to respond to the group's request for information, but This is Money can confirm it uses synthetic, high-quality vegan leather across its vehicle line-up. Some BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz passenger cars also have non-animal leather as standard, despite being luxury brands consumers would typically associate with the premium material. That said, no new models are entirely animal product free... For instance, tyres and other interior materials typically contain tallow - rendered animal fat, traditionally from beef or mutton suet, that has been processed to remove impurities and moisture. Other lubricants used in all cars also include animal fat as an ingredient. And some brands utilise obscure animal products in ways you likely wouldn't imagine. For instance, during the painting process of Minis, each car is feather-dusted using female ostrich feathers. Mini says it only uses those that have been shed naturally (which occurs once a year) and they are a 'sustainable tool' to remove traces of dust right before the colour paint layer is applied to guarantee a perfect finish. But some brands are still sticking with leather interiors, including premium marques such as Audi, Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Bentley Motors last year became the first automotive member of Leather Naturally - a non-government organisation dedicated to promoting the use of certified, properly-sourced leather as a natural by-product of a responsible circular economy. The move will see Bentley use leathers made from hides that are a by-product of the food industry, therefore supporting a responsible, circular economy. Such materials would otherwise be turned into waste. Marc Stang, Bentley's in-house leather expert, said: 'Leather is a timeless, luxury material that has always epitomised the elegance, durability and quality of a hand-crafted Bentley interior. 'It has a rich history that dates back decades in our cars and has always stood the test of time.' Here's a list of brands that told PETA they don't offer vegan-friendly animal leather alternatives in the new models... yet.
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
French car giant to stop using animal leather - but which brands AREN'T appeasing the vegans
A major French car maker has committed to eliminating the use of animal leather interiors across its entire range by the end of the year in a move that will make vegans very happy indeed. While the decision, confirmed by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), will see Renault ditch animal leather options from its global car line-up in a few months' time, it has already stopped offering leather seats and steering wheels to UK customers. 'True luxury is free from cruelty – and Renault understands that. By refusing to work with leather, Renault is helping save animal lives, reduce its environmental impact, and prove that compassion and innovation go hand in hand,' PETA's vice president of corporate projects, Yvonne Taylor, said. The international animal rights organisation estimates the global leather trade is responsible for the death of one billion animals every year. It adds that three cow or bull hides are used per car cabin. But not every car manufacturer is taking this vegan-friendly direction. A PETA study carried out last year listed the brands that currently use leather-alternative materials but also highlighted those sticking with traditional hides. Find out which brands aren't appeasing the vegans below... Renault has committed to eliminating the use of animal leather interiors across its entire range of vehicles by the end of the year, PETA has confirmed The animal rights group has taken aim at the motor industry's continued use of leather, claiming it is a highly polluting part of the manufacturing process. While it suggests three cow hides are used for a typically medium-size family car, bigger luxury models can require up to 15 animal skins in total. 'Due to the thicker hides used, non-vegan car interiors tend to have an even worse environmental impact than fashion items made from animal skins,' PETA says. 'Transforming animal hides into leather requires up to 170 chemicals (including cyanide, chromium, and coal-tar derivatives), which are toxic to human tannery workers and poison waterways. One report also linked leather car interiors to illegal land clearing and biodiversity loss,' it added. The organisation noted a range of new Renault models have already axed leather. The Renault 5 E-Tech Electric, Symbioz and Rafale all feature seats made from eco-friendly fabrics made with recycled plastic waste from landfill and other recycled textiles. However, vegans in the UK will be pleased to hear that Renault has been selling new cars with sustainable alternative upholsteries for years with a selection of organic and recyclable materials coming as standard. It's only in foreign markets that the French firm still offers animal leather cabins. And Renault isn't the only brand to offer vegan-friendly cabins. New Renault models feature seats made from eco-friendly fabrics made with recycled plastic waste from landfills and other recycled textiles Abarth, BYD, Citroen, Dacia, Fiat, Jeep, Mini, Peugeot, Polestar, Smart, Vauxhall and Volvo largely offer leather-alternative interiors across the majority of their ranges, according to PETA's European Vegan Car Interior Survey last year. Tesla failed to respond to the group's request for information, but This is Money can confirm it uses synthetic, high-quality vegan leather across its vehicle line-up. Some BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz passenger cars also have non-animal leather as standard, despite being luxury brands consumers would typically associate with the premium material. That said, no new models are entirely animal product free... The rubber used in tyres and interior materials in all cars often contains tallow, while some lubricants include animal fat as an ingredient. And some brands utilise obscure animal products in ways you likely wouldn't imagine. For instance, during the painting process of Minis, each car is feather-dusted using female ostrich feathers. Mini says it only uses those that have been shed naturally (which occurs once a year) and they are a 'sustainable tool' to remove traces of dust right before the colour paint layer is applied to guarantee a perfect finish. But some brands are still sticking with leather interiors, including premium marques such as Audi, Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Here's a list of brands that told PETA they don't offer vegan-friendly animal leather alternatives in the new models... yet.
The Independent
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
How filming Babe led movie star to lifetime of activism
Actor James Cromwell has revealed he adopted a vegan diet in 1995, just two days into filming the movie Babe, after seeing the farm animals he had worked with served as lunch. Cromwell, who played farmer Arthur Hoggett, noted that the film also inspired some viewers to become vegetarian or vegan. The movie kickstarted Cromwell's way of life as a dedicated animal rights activist, and he is a long-time advocate for Peta. He has participated in numerous high-profile protests against animal mistreatment. He superglued his hand to a Starbucks counter in 2022 to protest charges for vegan milk and in 2023, he helped save a piglet (which he named Babe) from slaughter.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Popular crisps brand brings back iconic flavour which rivals McCoy's classic
A POPULAR crisps brand has brought back a limited-edition flavour that had fans going wild. Seabrook's Loaded Tasty Takeouts Burger crisps in the Sizzlin' Steak Burger Flavour will be landing back on Aldi shelves this week. The flavour was initially released as a limited edition back in April in Aldi's middle aisles. But after disappearing from shelves for a short time, it's now coming back again on Sunday. The packs cost £1.25 for 130g. They are also gluten free and vegan. Foodies spotted the crisps on shelves back in April, with some saying they were "very nice". One person commented: "It seems just when Walkers discontinue their range or flavours, Seabrook just bring out more choice." Popular Instagram reviewer John's Snack Reviews posted a review of the crisps previously, saying they tasted "like a big mac without the gerkin". He added: "It's got that musky chargrill with hints of beef along with the big mac burger flavour." At the time, Seabrook also brought out another flavour called Spicy Mexican Taco. It said both flavours were limited edition so "they won't be around for too long". Wake up to a weed-free lawn for months thanks to Aldi's £10 gadget that pulls them out without bending or kneeling down The Sizzlin' Steak Burger flavour could be a good dupe for McCoy's iconic Flame Grilled Steak crisps. You can get a multipack of six of these for £1.74 at Asda or currently £1.75 at Waitrose. Elsewhere they're £2.35 at Morrisons or Ocado. Reviewers say the McCoy version is "truly a household favourite" and "so delicious and moreish". Seabrook recently brought back another iconic flavour that rivalled a Walkers classic. The crinkle cut Tomato Ketchup crisps are available in Morrisons, where shoppers can pick up packs of six 25g bags for £1.45. The supermarket launched the limited-edition crisps in stores on May 19. They are similar to Walkers' Heinz Tomato Ketchup bags, which were confirmed as re-launched in March after being axed in 2023. Why are products axed or recipes changed? ANALYSIS by chief consumer reporter James Flanders. Food and drinks makers have been known to tweak their recipes or axe items altogether. They often say that this is down to the changing tastes of customers. There are several reasons why this could be done. For example, government regulation, like the "sugar tax," forces firms to change their recipes. Some manufacturers might choose to tweak ingredients to cut costs. They may opt for a cheaper alternative, especially when costs are rising to keep prices stable. For example, Tango Cherry disappeared from shelves in 2018. It has recently returned after six years away but as a sugar-free version. Fanta removed sweetener from its sugar-free alternative earlier this year. Suntory tweaked the flavour of its flagship Lucozade Original and Orange energy drinks. While the amount of sugar in every bottle remains unchanged, the supplier swapped out the sweetener aspartame for sucralose.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Rukmini Iyer's quick and easy recipe for miso trout with aubergine, pak choi and peanuts
If you love miso aubergines, but wish you could scale them up into a filling dinner, this is a dish for you. Perfect for a celebratory summer dinner for two and easy to scale up to cater for more guests – just use a really big tray for the vegetables and a second one for as many trout fillets as you need. And if you'd like to veganise the dish, just use big triangles of firm tofu instead of the trout, and cook everything together for half an hour. Prep 15 min Cook 30 min Serves 2 1 large aubergine, halved lengthways, then cut into 1cm-thick slices2 tbsp sesame oil 5 tsp miso paste (red or white) – a gluten-free one, if need be2 sustainably-sourced trout fillets 2 heaped tbsp salted peanuts, chopped2 pak choi, quarteredJuice of 1 limeFlaky sea salt, to taste1 red chilli, stalk discarded, flesh finely chopped (discard the pith and seeds if you prefer less heat)2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Tip the aubergine slices into a roasting tin large enough to hold them all in a single layer, then add the sesame oil and three teaspoons of the miso paste. Using your hands, mix well to coat the slices, then roast for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, spread each trout fillet with a teaspoon of the remaining miso paste, then scatter the chopped peanuts on top. Once the aubergines have had 20 minutes, add the pak choi to the tin and gently stir through the aubergines to pick up the flavoured oil; add a little more sesame oil, if need be. Make some space in the mix for the fish, lay in the fillets, then return to the oven for 10 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through (trout fillets tend to be so thin that they cook to my liking in 10 minutes, but if yours are thicker, go for 12-15 minutes). Once out of the oven, dress the vegetables with the lime juice and a little sea salt, if needed, scatter over the sliced chilli and spring onions, and serve hot. The Guardian aims to publish recipes for sustainable fish. Check ratings in your region: UK; Australia; US.
