Best Vegan Snack Product
Walkers Snacks – Prawn Cocktail Crisps
A peckish vegan never needs to go hungry when out and about thanks to Walkers and their innovative range of vegetarian and vegan crisps. PETA is especially bowled over by their Prawn Cocktail flavour, which uses non-animal ingredients and is packed full of flavour. Walkers crisps are available in possibly every newsagent and supermarket in the United Kingdom. Their accessibility is outstanding!
Best Vegan Chocolate
Divine Chocolate – Mint Dark Chocolate
Chocoholics everywhere love Divine Chocolate, which sells an ever-expanding range of vegan chocolate bars. A firm favourite in the PETA offices is Divine's Mint 70 per cent Dark Chocolate, a rich but smooth texture with crunchy little pieces of mint to get the taste buds tingling. What's even more impressive about Divine Chocolate is that it is widely available throughout the UK and is certified Fairtrade, too, so it's definitely worth your investment. Oh, if we must … all for the cause!
Best Faux-Meat Product
Goodlife Spicy Bean Burger
Eating vegetarian burgers as opposed to meat is better for animals and your health, and it tastes much nicer too. Goodlife know this, and their Spicy Bean Burger is a cut above the rest, with a slight saucy kick added to a breadcrumb-coated mix of beans and vegetables. They are popular in many supermarkets and health-food stores, making it easy to whip up a healthy and tasty meal for the family or at barbecues in minutes. Other tempting vegan treats in the Goodlife range include Butternut Squash Roast and Nut Cutlets. Dig in!
Best Dairy Alternative
Alpro Fruits of the Forest Yoghurt
For all your dairy-free dessert needs, Alpro Soya really is the best range available. Their soya yoghurts, flavoured milk and other products are a great alternative to animal milk and adorn the shelves of most supermarkets, making it easier than ever to indulge in a sweet-toothed frenzy without having any impact on cows or your health. The Fruits of the Forest flavoured yoghurt is especially delicious and perfect for sharing with friends after a dinner party. Or just keep it for yourself!
Best Vegan Convenience Food
Sainsbury's Chicken and Mushroom Noodles
Sainsbury's has a fantastic labelling system and clearly flags a vegan product on the front of the packaging, which makes it easy to grab a quick snack when you're on the go. Their Chicken and Mushroom Noodles pots allow vegans to enjoy the taste of a traditional convenience food without hurting a single animal in the process. Simply pour in boiling water, stir and devour – it's as easy as pie.
Most Animal-Friendly Fashion
New Look
Any girl who loves her high-street fashion knows that New Look stores are proud "No Fur" zones and great places to pick up non-leather shoes for a fair price. Whether you like strutting your stuff in killer heels on a night out or picking up a complete outfit, you are guaranteed to find something amongst their animal-friendly collections. New Look have a great influence on a fashionista's wardrobe, and the company has teamed up with huge names in the past such as Lilly Allen, Kelly Brook and Fearne Cotton – and don't forget about their exciting organic line.
Best Cruelty-Free Personal Care Product Line
Marks and Spencer
No company has impressed PETA more than Marks and Spencer this past year, with their amazing cruelty-free line of personal care products, which includes cosmetics as well as skincare, fragrance and hair care products – the list seems endless. M&S have shown a real commitment in recent times to saving animals from experiments that cause suffering and death, recognising that looking after ourselves shouldn't involve the suffering of others. Adding to that is their household product range, which now also sports the "leaping bunny" logo.
Best Cruelty-Free Household Product Range
Astonish
Next time you do your spring cleaning, give Astonish a go and clean your house the compassionate way. Containing no animal ingredients, eco-friendly and BUAV-approved, this household product range has been voted the best by our panel of judges. For a sparkly clean house, choose from a vast variety of products like stain removal, washing-up liquid, surface cleaners and more. For the neat freak in all of us.
Best Cruelty-Free Skin Care
Liz Earle
If you needed any more proof that skin care can be as glamorous as it is compassionate, you only need to take one look at Liz Earle products to know it's more than possible. Liz Earle exceeds expectations for a cruelty-free skin care range, bringing us products such as cleansers, moisturisers, deep cleansing masks and other luscious treats. Liz Earle – known as a beauty editor, the author of more than 30 books and a TV presenter – is an authority on natural beauty products and joined together with co-founder Kim Buckland in 1995. Since then, they have been producing non-animal-tested vegetarian goodies en masse for women around the world.
Best Cruelty-Free Cosmetics
B Never Too Busy to Be Beautiful
Sister company to Lush, B Never Too Busy to Be Beautiful is making waves in the cosmetics industry with its bohemian packaging and high-quality beauty products. Stepping inside a B store is like entering a luxurious boudoir, so applying their mostly vegan, cruelty-free make-up is a real treat. B has been running since 2003 and is as brazen in its promotion of animal-friendly policies as Lush, so it was an easy choice for this year's panel of judges. Try the Dirty body spray from the men's collection, Glitter Cream Eyeshadow or Keep It Fluffy perfume for an exotic journey into the world of cosmetics.
Best Cruelty-Free Online Vendor
Bourgeois Bohème
Even for non-vegans, online store Bourgeois Bohème is like a shopping trip sent from heaven. Stocking hundreds of exciting products like bags, shoes, accessories and cosmetics, Bourgeois Bohème is a one-stop shop for all your fashion needs. Last year, the vegan company won the Proggy Award for Best Cruelty-Free Shoe Retailer, and they never fail to impress our panel of judges with their bang-on-trend fashion, sourced only from animal-friendly materials and ingredients. You can normally catch them at the various ethical events held across the UK throughout the year. Look out for them next time you're on your travels!
Best Vegetarian Bed and Breakfast
Fox Hall Vegan Bed and Breakfast
Fox Hall Vegan Bed and Breakfast is run by a vegan family which goes out of their way to provide guests with delicious food in a beautiful Cumbrian location. The names of the different guest rooms to choose from are enough to get you planning a visit – Lavender, Sunflower, Snowdrop and Bluebell – and that's without taking the vegan eats into account. We loved the tempting selection on their breakfast menu, which includes Tofu, Onion, Mushrooms and Dill on Toast, and Home-Made Lemon and Sultana Pancakes. Sounds divine!
Best Animal-Friendly Pub
The George in Brighton
Who doesn't love chilling out with a pub lunch and a glass of wine or a pint of beer? At The George in Brighton, you can do just that and choose from anything on their completely vegetarian and vegan menu and bar! You'll be safe with the knowledge that you won't be served a pound of flesh or any other nasty animal bits and pieces. Brighton is one of the best cities in the UK for vegetarians and vegans, and The George does the seaside resort proud with their extremely animal-friendly policy.
Most Progressive Politician
Councillor Paul Blanchard
In late 2007, the York Council was the first of its kind to ban foie gras from a British city. Councillor Paul Blanchard played a fundamental part in this monumental success and deserves a huge round of applause from animal lovers everywhere. Since this milestone, other councils such as Stockport, Norwich and Bolton have followed in York's footsteps, and we are now seeing a revolution in foie gras-free cities across the UK. Paul is not only a vegan but also a dedicated advocate of animal rights. He works hard to end animal abuse not only among his constituency but also around the world.
Most Animal-Friendly Television Programme
Life in Cold Blood
In a series of hour-long programmes which aired on BBC1, renowned conservationist and animal lover David Attenborough brought us stunning footage and detailed commentary about the fascinating lives of reptiles. Life in Cold Blood revealed the beauty and grace of cold-blooded animals in their natural habitats – without harassing them – showing them as caring and protective parents. Viewers gained a unique insight into the reptile world and shrugged off the stereotype that they are merely predators, making this a truly animal-friendly television programme worth celebrating.
Best Animal-Friendly Movie
Year of the Dog
Year of the Dog is a quirky, funny and warm-hearted film about a woman's journey of self-discovery following the loss of her beloved companion animal. Peggy is a solitary but sweet secretary who lives alone with her dog, Pencil. When Pencil dies unexpectedly, the course of Peggy's life is changed forever. The film even features PETA US merchandise, including mugs, T-shirts and posters, all promoting a cruelty-free lifestyle – we couldn't have written it better ourselves!
Best Animal-Friendly Children's Book
The Great Escape by Natalie Haynes
If you're ever stuck for a present for a youngster or a teenager in your life, look no further. The Great Escape by Natalie Haynes is the perfect choice, with its adventurous and compassionate storyline that sees Millie, the main character, turn vegetarian and anti-vivisection after seeing a PETA table. She then rescues cats from a laboratory while helping her dad clean windows nearby. A page-turner for young people and adults alike, this book was an easy choice for Best Animal-Friendly Children's Book this year. Natalie Haynes is a columnist at The Times newspaper, a UK television personality and a stand-up comedian.
Courage in Commerce
Animal Friends Insurance
Insurance never needs to seem like a dull or daunting prospect again, thanks to Animal Friends Insurance. The company donates 100 per cent of its net profits to animal charities around the world and gives generous discounts to vegetarians and non-meat-eaters. As if living compassionately weren't rewarding enough, this ethical insurance company goes one step further and encourages all policy seekers to think about all animals in a different light.
