They've stopped using rennet and are reverting to the use of whey.
Unless things have changed a bit since Little Miss Muffet, whey is a by product of cheese making. Isn't cheese made with rennet?
What next? Will they have to prove that the whey is derived from cheesemaking that only uses vegitarian rennet substitute? If not isn't this just a matter of who owns the milk when rennet is used?
Typical 'whole food and sandals brigade' shortsightedness - they should eat more carrots!

J D S, Cardiff, Wales UK

i think it was pure stupidness, knowing most there consumers are vegetarians, and not forgeting the different religions there are among the Uk for instance there are Muslims who cannot have any meat that is not blessed. So it has had an huge affect on Muslims, and vegetarians. I suggest Masterfoods should think twice before they make silly drastic measures. Keep to making vegetarian products.

Ali, london, united kingdom

Well done Vegetarians!!! This incident just goes to show that if we actively pull together to defend our beliefs we can force a change. No company can afford to lose the custom of such a large portion of the population. Maybe one day we could even end the slaughter of all animals.

Vegetarian or not we can all learn that through unified action we can change the world for the better,

Phil Orange, London, England

This is the typical attitude of the media. The author says: "A furious protest by vegetarians has forced the company that makes Mars Bars to stop using rennet..."

Such nonsense!

Vegetarians have not "forced" Mars to do anything. It is not force of any sort when a company realizes that it's bottom-line will be affected by an action. ..that its customers will stop buying their product. This is how the free-market is supposed to work...companies being responsive to the wishes their customers.

Make no mistake, Mars did not decide to stay vegetarian for any reason except to protect its bottom line.

Gayle Dean, Jacksonville, Florida USA

Although there are some "pure" vegetarian rennets available, I wonder if consumers are aware that the most likely (and easily available) replacement rennet will be made from GMOs. However, under the EU's less than transparent GMO labeling laws it will not have to be labeled as such because the law fudges the issue by saying the rennet is produced "with" a GMO and not "from" a GMO. Whatever. GM is involved in the process like it or not. Consumers anxious to avoid GMOs as well as any trace of animal origin might like to ask Mars and the Vegetarian Society for the precise make-up of this so-called vegetarian rennet. And why it is not labeled as GM.

David Green, Virginia, USA

I'm glad to see that common sense has prevailed and Masterfoods has listened to public opinion. I suspect that the main reason was the massive potential loss of custom they faced rather than the humane side of keeping products vegetarian and available for more people to eat.

It's not just vegetarians who were affected by using this slaughterhouse by-product but many religious groups and those who avoid red meat / beef derivatives (a large number since BSE in the 1980s). Consumers are much more concerned about the source of what they are eating, especially with the many foodscares surrounding animal products, due mainly to today's intensive farming practices.

I mentioned this story to a number of people during the week and they were all disgusted at the thought of having calves' stomach scrapings in their chocolate.

A great start to National Vegetarian Week and let's hope that future years see a move to a vegan Mars Bar, avoiding the various cruelties of the dairy industry!

Jeanette Muff, Brockley, London,

i ws devasted being a veg an chocoholic at the same time when i heard bout this-i am glad that mars recognised its mistake so soon and hopefully will be back to normal soon

n.shabir, dewsbury, w.yorkshire