Dietary & Product Information

We make our chocolate, toffee and yummy gifts with one goal in mind – we want to make people smile. One of the ways in which we achieve this goal is in ensuring our products, and the ingredients we use to make them, are of the highest quality. We also want you to better understand what goes into our products and how the ingredients we use may impact on your personal dietary requirements.

The following information will appear, where relevant, on all packaged Thorntons products whether bought online, from a supermarket, or in one of our high-street stores.

If you want to understand more about any of the terminology used below, you can submit a contact form and one of our friendly advisors will be happy to help.

Suitable for vegetarians

For us to consider a product as suitable for vegetarians, it will not contain ingredients that consist of, or which have been produced with, products from any part of the body of an animal. The product may still contain dairy products, eggs, honey, shellac & will be suitable for lacto-ovo-vegetarians (vegetarians who eat both dairy products and eggs). 

Shellac (E904) (a resin produced by the female lac insect) is considered to be vegetarian, but not vegan on the Vegetarian Society website, although some vegetarians prefer not to eat it. Where used, it will be identified in the ingredients list as a Glazing Agent. Our products which contain shellac will only be considered suitable for vegetarians if the shellac supplier is Vegetarian Society accredited.

Mono_ and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471) used as an emulsifier in many of our chocolates is derived from fatty acids of plant origin and is therefore vegetarian-friendly.

Dried Whey, an ingredient of some of our chocolates, is made using rennet from a vegetarian source.

Eggs - products containing egg will only be considered suitable for vegetarians where free-range eggs are used.

Alcohol-free

We create a wide range of yummy products with added alcohol centres (such as our Marc de Champagne truffles and Whisky Truffles). Alcohol can also be present (at very low levels) where it is used as a solvent to carry flavourings and other additives. Where used as a carrier alcohol does not require listing as an ingredient, but we do take it into account under our ‘Alcohol-free’ labelling.

Products made without any alcohol-based ingredients are indicated on packaging as ‘Alcohol-free’.

No artificial colours

We categorise colours used in our products as ‘natural’ (colours occurring in nature and sourced using traditional and/ or appropriate physical processing) & ‘non-natural’. Products indicated on packaging with ‘no artificial colours’ will not contain any non-natural colours.

No artificial flavours

There is a legal definition for the term ‘natural flavouring’. Products indicated on packaging with ‘no artificial flavours’ will not contain any non-natural flavourings.

Allergen Information: 

Nuts

Tree nuts are widely used in our production facility and we produce many products which contain nuts. Nuts are defined as:

• Almonds
• Hazelnuts
• Walnuts
• Brazil Nuts
• Pecan Nuts
• Cashew Nuts
• Pistachio Nuts
• Macadamia Nuts

Included are all derivatives EXCEPT nuts used in alcoholic distillates.

Nutmeg and coconut are NOT included as nuts.

Due to widespread use there is a definite risk of nut cross-contamination for products which do not contain added nuts. This is indicated on packaging as ‘MAY ALSO CONTAIN: NUTS’ or ‘MAY ALSO CONTAIN: OTHER NUTS’ (where recipe already contains some nuts).

Peanuts

Peanuts and peanut-containing ingredients are not allowed at our main production site. However, we do source some products from suppliers who make or pack peanut-containing products. Where there is a risk of peanut cross-contamination, products are marked with ‘MAY ALSO CONTAIN: PEANUTS’ (on packaging). 

Milk

Milk is used widely throughout our production facility and only a few products do not contain added milk as an ingredient.

Due to widespread use there is a definite risk of milk cross-contamination for products which do not contain added milk, including dark chocolate products where shared pipework is a factor.

Products which do not contain added milk & at risk of cross-contamination are marked with ‘MAY ALSO CONTAIN: MILK’ (on packaging).

Egg

Products made without egg ingredients are produced on the same machinery as egg-containing recipes at our production facility. As such, there can be a risk of egg cross-contamination.

Products which do not contain added egg & at risk of cross-contamination are marked with ‘MAY ALSO CONTAIN: EGG’ (on packaging).

Soya

Soya lecithin (used as an emulsifier in chocolate and centres) is widely used in our production facility.

Products which do not contain added soya & at risk of cross-contamination are marked with ‘MAY ALSO CONTAIN: SOYA’ (on packaging).

Cereals containing gluten

Gluten is a protein found in wheat and certain other cereals, such as barley and rye (see list below). 

The following cereals are defined as gluten-containing:

• Wheat
• Rye
• Barley
• Oats
• Spelt
• Kamut
• Plus hybridised strains of the above

Included are all derivatives of these cereals EXCEPT:

• Wheat and barley based glucose syrups
• Wheat based dextrose and maltodextrins
• Cereals used in alcoholic distillates

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease caused by the immune system reacting to gluten, which can cause long-term damage to the lining of the gut.

Gluten sensitivity is different to coeliac disease but can still cause mild to severe gut symptoms.

You can learn more about coeliac disease at https://www.coeliac.org.uk/home/

Some of our products do contain gluten-containing cereals and the relevant cereals will be highlighted in bold in the ingredients list.

Products which are at risk from gluten cross-contamination are labelled with 'MAY ALSO CONTAIN: GLUTEN' or 'MAY ALSO CONTAIN: WHEAT' (on packaging).

Please note – we do use wheat based glucose syrups & dextrose in many of our products which, although not classed as gluten-containing (see exemptions above), may not be suitable for customers requesting information on wheat-free recipes. The presence of glucose syrup & dextrose will be indicated as such in the ingredients list (although without the reference to wheat).

Sulphur Dioxide and Sulphites (at concentration greater than 10 parts per million)

Some of our products do contain sulphites and this will be highlighted in bold in the ingredients list.

Sesame

Sesame and sesame-containing ingredients are not allowed at our main production site. However, we do source some products from suppliers who make or pack sesame-containing products. Where there is a risk of sesame cross-contamination, products are marked with ‘MAY ALSO CONTAIN: SESAME’ (on packaging).

Celery

We do not use celery or celery containing ingredients on our production site. The soups sold in our Cafés are manufactured externally & some do contain celery.

Mustard

We do not use mustard or mustard containing ingredients on our production site. Various Café sandwiches & toasties are manufactured externally & some do contain mustard.

Fish, Crustaceans, Molluscs

We do not use any fish or fish containing ingredients on our production site. Various Café products are manufactured externally & some do contain seafood.

Lupin

We do not sell any lupin containing products.