Are Skittles Halal? Standard Skittles, Gummies and Every Colour Checked

Standard Skittles are halal by their ingredients. They have had no gelatin since 2009, when Wrigley changed the recipe, and in the UK many packs are labelled “Suitable for Vegans”. Skittles isn’t halal certified; Skittles Australia says, “SKITTLES products are not Halal certified.”

The exceptions are the soft sweets sold under the Skittles name. Skittles Gummies and Skittles Squishy Cloudz contain gelatin, and the maker doesn’t say which animal it comes from, so most Muslims avoid them. This guide covers the UK and US recipes, every colour, and the “carmine” confusion.

Quick answer

Do Skittles have gelatin?

Standard Skittles don’t. Wrigley, which makes Skittles for Mars, told the Vegetarian Resource Group that Skittles were reformulated to remove gelatin in early 2009. The current US ingredients on skittles.com and UK packs contain no gelatin.

Older articles and videos that say Skittles contain gelatin are describing the pre 2009 recipe, or the Gummies range.

UK Skittles ingredients

Here’s the UK Skittles Fruits recipe, from Tesco:

Sugar, glucose syrup, palm fat, acids (citric acid, malic acid), dextrin, maltodextrin, flavourings, modified starch, colours (E162, E163, E170, E160a, E100, E132, E133), acidity regulator (trisodium citrate), glazing agent (carnauba wax).

Every ingredient is plant based, mineral or synthetic. The shine comes from carnauba wax, which is made from palm leaves, not shellac from insects. Skittles Darkside and several UK fruit packs are labelled “Suitable for Vegans”, and Crazy Sour is labelled “Suitable for Vegetarians”.

The E132 and “carmine” confusion

Some readers see E132 on a UK Skittles pack and think it’s carmine, the red colour made from insects. It isn’t. E132 is indigo carmine, a synthetic blue dye, which has no link to insects despite its name. The insect colour is E120 (carmine or cochineal). Wrigley UK has said Skittles removed E120 cochineal. No current UK Skittles pack we checked lists E120.

US Skittles ingredients

From skittles.com, Skittles Original:

Sugar, corn syrup, hydrogenated palm kernel oil; less than 2% of: citric acid, tapioca dextrin, modified corn starch, natural and artificial flavors, colors (Red 40 lake, Yellow 5 lake, Blue 2 lake, Yellow 6 lake, Blue 1 lake, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1), sodium citrate, carnauba wax.

There’s no gelatin or animal ingredient. The colours are synthetic, and Mars removed titanium dioxide from US Skittles at the end of 2024.

Are red Skittles halal?

Yes. In the US, red comes from Red 40, a synthetic dye. In the UK, it comes from plant colours such as beetroot red (E162) and anthocyanins (E163). Neither is carmine.

Skittles Gummies and Squishy Cloudz: not halal for most Muslims

These are soft chewy sweets sold under the Skittles brand, and they use gelatin to set.

Gelatin is made from animal skin and bones, usually pork or beef. Unless it’s from halal slaughtered animals or fish, most scholars say it isn’t halal, and pork gelatin is haram for all. Because the source isn’t named, avoid these. See our gelatin guide for the scholarly views.

What about flavourings and tartaric acid?

• Flavourings: Skittles doesn’t publish the detail. Some flavourings are carried in tiny amounts of ethanol. Most scholars accept this, because it can’t intoxicate and dissolves completely into the sweet.
• Tartaric acid: Some Skittles, especially sour ones, contain tartaric acid. It’s often made from by products of wine making, but it’s a chemically separate acid, not alcohol. Most halal certifiers accept it.

Is Wild Berry halal?

Standard Wild Berry Skittles follow the normal Skittles recipe with no gelatin. Some years ago Wrigley UK said a Wild Berry recipe was not suitable for a halal diet. Recipes have changed since, but check the pack for E120 or gelatine, or for a vegetarian or vegan label.

Are Skittles halal certified?

No. Skittles Australia says, “SKITTLES products are not Halal certified.” We couldn’t find certification in the UK or US either. Wrigley UK has said that “the vast majority of Skittles products are absolutely fine for vegetarians, vegans and those on a halal diet, although there are some exceptions”. The exceptions are the gelatin products above and some limited editions, so always read the pack.

Are Skittles vegan?

Standard Skittles are, in both the UK and the US, because they contain no animal ingredients. Many UK packs carry a vegan label. Gummies and Squishy Cloudz aren’t vegan because of the gelatin.

A short history of Skittles

Skittles were first sold in the UK in 1974 and arrived in the US in 1979. They’re made by Wrigley, which Mars bought in 2008.