Based on checking the website Urbanmerchants.co.uk, it appears to be an e-commerce platform specialising in gourmet food and wine. However, a significant portion of their product offerings includes items that are not permissible, such as wine, foie gras, and prosciutto crudo, which are explicitly forbidden. Furthermore, their business model involves the sale of alcohol, which is unequivocally disallowed. Due to these core product offerings, this website cannot be recommended as a suitable or ethical choice.
Overall Review Summary:
- Website Focus: Gourmet food and wine supplier.
- Key Products: Caviar, truffles, foie gras, rare oils and spices, artisan chocolate, champagne, fine wine, prosciutto crudo, wild boar terrine.
- Ethical Compliance (Key Issue): Contains non-halal and forbidden items such as alcohol (wine, champagne), pork products (prosciutto crudo, wild boar terrine made with Pinot Noir), and foie gras.
- Recommendation: Not recommended due to the inclusion and promotion of explicitly forbidden items.
- Transparency: Company details (Company No., VAT) are provided. Privacy policy and terms are linked.
- User Experience: Website appears functional with standard e-commerce features.
- Red Flags: None in terms of website functionality or security, but the product inventory itself is the primary concern.
The website Urbanmerchants.co.uk presents itself as a purveyor of “finer things in life,” catering to professional chefs and home cooks seeking gourmet ingredients from around the world. While the site itself is well-designed and offers a straightforward shopping experience, the fundamental issue lies with the nature of the products it sells. Items like Gusbourne Rosé, 2019, With Gift Box, Goose Foie Gras Block, and Sliced Prosciutto Crudo are prominently featured among their best sellers. The inclusion of wine and pork-based products renders this platform unsuitable for consumption or patronage. Therefore, despite any apparent operational legitimacy, the content of their catalogue makes it an untenable option.
Here are some alternatives that align with ethical considerations, focusing on permissible gourmet food items or non-food ethical products:
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- Key Features: Wide range of ethical and eco-friendly products, including food, household goods, and gifts. Strong emphasis on fair trade, organic, and sustainable sourcing.
- Average Price: Varies widely depending on product category, but generally competitive for ethical goods.
- Pros: Comprehensive selection of ethically sourced items; supports fair trade and sustainability; clear product certifications; good for conscious consumerism.
- Cons: Can be slightly more expensive than conventional retailers due to ethical sourcing; less specialised in high-end gourmet food.
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- Key Features: Specialises in premium, single-estate olive oils from various regions, ensuring high quality and authentic flavour profiles. Focuses on the production methods and origin of their oils.
- Average Price: £15 – £40 per bottle, depending on size and rarity.
- Pros: Excellent quality olive oils; strong emphasis on provenance and artisanal production; a healthy and versatile kitchen staple; no questionable ingredients.
- Cons: Limited to one product category (olive oil); may not satisfy broader gourmet food needs.
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- Key Features: Organic, fair trade, and ethically sourced chocolate bars with unique flavour combinations. Committed to environmental sustainability and responsible ingredient sourcing.
- Average Price: £3 – £5 per bar.
- Pros: Delicious, high-quality chocolate; strong ethical credentials; wide variety of interesting flavours; suitable for gifting.
- Cons: Limited to chocolate products; not a full-range gourmet food supplier.
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Fortnum & Mason (Selected Halal Products)
- Key Features: Iconic British retailer offering luxury food hampers, teas, biscuits, and a growing selection of halal-certified items. Known for exceptional quality and presentation.
- Average Price: High-end, with individual items ranging from £10 to £100+ for hampers.
- Pros: Renowned for luxury and quality; some explicitly halal-certified options; excellent for gifts and special occasions; strong brand reputation.
- Cons: Very expensive; not all products are halal, requiring careful selection; primarily a luxury goods provider rather than everyday groceries.
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Bayley & Sage (Local & Artisanal Focus)
- Key Features: A London-based chain of delicatessens focusing on fresh, seasonal, and artisanal produce, including cheeses, baked goods, and fine foods. Emphasises local sourcing where possible.
- Average Price: Mid-to-high range, comparable to other high-quality delis.
- Pros: Supports local producers; emphasis on fresh, high-quality ingredients; physical stores for in-person shopping; good for specific, premium ingredients.
- Cons: Primarily serves London and surrounding areas; stock can vary by season; not all items are certified halal, requiring consumer discretion.
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- Key Features: Organic food delivery service offering fruit and vegetable boxes, meat, dairy, and pantry staples. Focuses on sustainable farming and minimal environmental impact.
- Average Price: Weekly boxes start from £12-£20, individual items vary.
- Pros: Convenient home delivery; certified organic and sustainable produce; supports ethical farming practices; wide variety of fresh and pantry items.
- Cons: Subscription-based model might not suit all; not specifically a “gourmet” focus, more on everyday organic produce; not all meat items are halal, requires checking.
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- Key Features: A broader category of products that are inherently ethical and beneficial, such as Islamic calligraphy sets, prayer mats, Quranic art, and educational books. These items promote spiritual and intellectual growth.
- Average Price: Varies widely, from £10 for small items to hundreds for large art pieces.
- Pros: Inherently permissible and often spiritually uplifting; supports traditional craftsmanship and knowledge; excellent for gifts or personal enrichment.
- Cons: Not a food-related alternative, so it caters to a different consumer need.
Find detailed reviews on Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org, for software products you can also check Producthunt.
IMPORTANT: We have not personally tested this company’s services. This review is based solely on information provided by the company on their website. For independent, verified user experiences, please refer to trusted sources such as Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org.
Urbanmerchants.co.uk: A Deeper Dive into Its Offerings
Based on a thorough review of Urbanmerchants.co.uk, it’s clear the platform positions itself as a premier destination for “fine food and gourmet ingredients.” They boast an extensive selection, claiming to have sourced the “very best” from around the world since 2009. While the website presents a professional facade and provides standard e-commerce functionalities, the nature of its product catalogue is the primary point of contention. From a perspective that prioritises ethical consumption, especially concerning dietary restrictions, the offerings at Urbanmerchants.co.uk raise significant concerns.
Identifying Unsuitable Product Categories
The core issue with Urbanmerchants.co.uk lies in its prominent display and sale of products that are not permissible. This isn’t a matter of incidental inclusion but rather a central part of their “best sellers” and overall inventory.
- Alcoholic Beverages: The site explicitly offers “Gusbourne Rosé, 2019, With Gift Box” and mentions “champagne and fine wine” in its description. The consumption, purchase, or facilitation of alcohol sales is strictly prohibited. This alone makes the platform unsuitable.
- Pork Products: “Sliced Prosciutto Crudo, 500g” is listed among their top items. Prosciutto is a cured ham product, making it a direct derivative of pork, which is forbidden. Similarly, “Wild Boar Terrine With Pinot Noir And Summer Truffles” combines wild boar (a type of pig) with Pinot Noir (wine), creating a doubly unsuitable item.
- Foie Gras: “Goose Foie Gras Block, 2 Slices In Trapezium Tin, 75g” is another featured product. The production of foie gras involves force-feeding ducks or geese to engorge their livers, a practice widely criticised for its animal welfare implications. While not directly a dietary prohibition, the ethical concerns surrounding its production are significant and widely acknowledged, making it undesirable for conscious consumers.
The presence of these items fundamentally impacts the platform’s suitability. It’s not merely a case of a few questionable products; they form a core part of the “gourmet” identity Urban Merchants seeks to cultivate.
Urbanmerchants.co.uk Features and Functionality
While the product range is problematic, it’s worth examining the technical aspects of the website itself. A well-designed site can enhance user experience, but it doesn’t negate underlying ethical issues.
- User Interface: The website features a clean, modern design with clear navigation. Products are categorised, and there’s a search function, which are standard for e-commerce.
- Shopping Cart System: A typical shopping cart and checkout process are in place, allowing users to add items, view their cart, and proceed to purchase. The presence of a “Holiday Delivery Notice” indicates active order processing.
- Information Accessibility: Links to “Privacy Policy” and “Terms” are visible, which is a positive sign for transparency. They also provide company registration and VAT numbers.
- Newsletter Signup: A prominent pop-up encourages users to sign up for a newsletter offering a 10% discount, a common marketing tactic.
- EU Website Option: The site offers a prompt to “Switch to EU website” (gourmetcentrum.com), indicating a broader European presence and potentially different regional product availability, though the core ethical issues are likely to persist across their inventory.
From a purely technical standpoint, Urbanmerchants.co.uk appears to be a functional e-commerce platform. However, the functionality is in service of a problematic product catalogue.
Urbanmerchants.co.uk Cons
When evaluating Urbanmerchants.co.uk, the cons heavily outweigh any potential pros, particularly from an ethical standpoint.
- Unsuitable Product Inventory: This is the most critical drawback. The sale of alcohol, pork products, and foie gras renders the entire platform unsuitable. This isn’t a minor oversight but a fundamental incompatibility with ethical consumption guidelines.
- No Clear Ethical Sourcing Information (beyond “gourmet”): While they claim to source “the very best,” there’s no visible information about the ethical sourcing of their non-questionable items (e.g., olive oil). For conscious consumers, transparency in sourcing is increasingly important.
- Limited Appeal to Ethical Consumers: Due to the products offered, the website will have limited appeal to a significant segment of consumers who adhere to specific dietary or ethical guidelines.
- Potential for Unintended Purchases: While users are expected to know what they are buying, the broad “gourmet food” category might inadvertently lead consumers to browse products that are not permissible, if they are not vigilant.
Urbanmerchants.co.uk Alternatives
Given the significant ethical concerns with Urbanmerchants.co.uk, exploring alternatives that align with ethical principles is paramount. These alternatives focus on providing high-quality, permissible products, ensuring peace of mind for consumers.
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- Key Features: Offers a diverse range of ethical products, including food, household goods, beauty, and gifts. Strong focus on fair trade, organic, vegan, and environmentally friendly options. Regularly updates its product lines to reflect current ethical standards.
- Average Price: Prices are generally competitive within the ethical goods market, with a clear breakdown of product certifications and benefits.
- Pros: Wide variety of genuinely ethical products; supports sustainable and fair trade practices globally; excellent for comprehensive ethical shopping; frequent discounts and promotions available.
- Cons: While broad, it doesn’t specialise in luxury gourmet in the same way, focusing more on everyday ethical consumption.
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- Key Features: Dedicated to sourcing and supplying premium, authentic extra virgin olive oils. Their selection often includes rare varieties, first cold-pressed oils, and those from specific appellations, ensuring high quality and flavour. Detailed descriptions of origin and tasting notes are provided.
- Average Price: £15 – £45 per bottle, reflecting the premium quality and artisanal nature of the oils.
- Pros: Exceptional quality and variety of olive oils; focus on a single, healthy, and permissible ingredient; transparent sourcing; great for culinary enthusiasts.
- Cons: Highly niche product range; not a one-stop shop for broader gourmet needs.
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Seed & Bean Chocolates Partybags2u.co.uk Review
- Key Features: Specialises in organic, fair trade, and often vegan chocolate bars. Known for innovative flavour combinations, from classic dark to unique blends like Cornish Sea Salt & Lime. Emphasises eco-friendly packaging and ethical bean sourcing.
- Average Price: £3.50 – £5.00 per 85g bar.
- Pros: Delicious and creative chocolate; strong ethical and environmental credentials; suitable for various dietary preferences; makes for excellent gifts.
- Cons: Limited to chocolate products; not a general gourmet food supplier.
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Fortnum & Mason (Selected Halal Products)
- Key Features: While a luxury brand, Fortnum & Mason has made efforts to curate a specific “halal food and drink” section online. This includes halal-certified tea, biscuits, jams, and confectionery, allowing consumers to navigate directly to permissible items. Their packaging and presentation remain top-tier.
- Average Price: High-end, reflecting its luxury positioning. Teas from £10, biscuits from £15, hampers can go into hundreds.
- Pros: Premium quality and luxury experience; dedicated halal section; excellent for gifting or special occasions; well-established brand.
- Cons: Very expensive; still requires careful navigation to ensure only halal-certified items are selected; not a full-range halal grocery.
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- Key Features: A chain of fine food shops in London that prioritises fresh, seasonal, and artisanal produce. They offer a range of fresh fruits, vegetables, baked goods, and often have sections for high-quality dry goods like pasta, sauces, and spices. Their focus is on quality ingredients and local sourcing.
- Average Price: Mid-to-high, reflecting the artisanal and fresh nature of the products.
- Pros: Emphasis on quality ingredients; supports local and small-scale producers; good for fresh produce and artisanal pantry staples; physical stores allow for in-person inspection.
- Cons: Primarily serves the London area; requires due diligence from the consumer to ensure products meet specific dietary requirements, as not all items are certified.
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- Key Features: A popular organic food delivery service that provides weekly or fortnightly boxes of organic fruits, vegetables, and pantry staples. They also offer a range of organic meat, dairy, and bakery items. Strong commitment to sustainability, reducing food waste, and supporting organic farms.
- Average Price: Box subscriptions start from £12-£20, with options to add individual items.
- Pros: Convenient home delivery of organic produce; supports sustainable agriculture; wide range of fresh and pantry items; reduces supermarket trips.
- Cons: Subscription model may not suit everyone; requires checking for halal certification on meat products; not exclusively “gourmet” in the luxury sense.
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- Key Features: This category offers a wide array of products that are entirely permissible and often enriching. This includes beautiful Islamic calligraphy, decorative items with Quranic verses, prayer mats, educational books on Islamic history and principles, and modest fashion accessories. These items contribute positively to one’s environment and knowledge.
- Average Price: Varies significantly based on the item, from affordable books and prayer mats (£10-£30) to more expensive art pieces (£100+).
- Pros: Provides products that are inherently permissible and beneficial; supports Islamic culture and education; diverse range of options for personal use or gifting.
- Cons: Not a food-related alternative, so it caters to a different consumer need for ethical purchasing.
How to Navigate Ethical Consumption in the UK
Navigating the gourmet food market ethically in the UK requires diligence. While Urbanmerchants.co.uk falls short, many businesses are making strides towards more transparent and permissible offerings.
- Look for Certifications: For meat and poultry, always look for Halal Food Authority (HFA) or Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC) certification. For other products, check for organic, fair trade, or vegan certifications, which often align with broader ethical principles.
- Read Ingredient Labels: This is crucial. Check for alcohol (including flavourings derived from alcohol), pork, or any animal-derived ingredients that might be unsuitable.
- Support Specialised Retailers: Seek out businesses that specifically cater to halal or ethical dietary needs. Many smaller, independent shops or online stores focus exclusively on permissible products.
- Question Sourcing: If a website doesn’t clearly state its sourcing practices, it’s wise to be cautious. Ethical businesses often pride themselves on transparency.
FAQ
Is Urbanmerchants.co.uk a legitimate website?
Yes, Urbanmerchants.co.uk appears to be a legitimate e-commerce website. It displays company registration details (Company No: 06839740) and a VAT number (947 265 688), and operates since 2009.
What kind of products does Urbanmerchants.co.uk sell?
Urbanmerchants.co.uk sells gourmet food and wine products, including items like extra virgin olive oil, foie gras, champagne, fine wine, rack of lamb, prosciutto crudo, and wild boar terrine.
Does Urbanmerchants.co.uk sell alcohol?
Yes, Urbanmerchants.co.uk explicitly sells alcohol, prominently featuring “Gusbourne Rosé, 2019, With Gift Box” and mentioning “champagne and fine wine” as part of their offerings.
Are there any pork products on Urbanmerchants.co.uk?
Yes, Urbanmerchants.co.uk lists “Sliced Prosciutto Crudo, 500g” and “Wild Boar Terrine With Pinot Noir And Summer Truffles,” both of which are pork-based products. Pixelgrinder.co.uk Review
Is foie gras available on Urbanmerchants.co.uk?
Yes, “Goose Foie Gras Block, 2 Slices In Trapezium Tin, 75g” is one of the featured products on Urbanmerchants.co.uk.
Is Urbanmerchants.co.uk suitable for ethical consumption?
No, Urbanmerchants.co.uk is not suitable for ethical consumption due to its direct sale of alcohol, pork products, and foie gras.
What are the main ethical concerns with Urbanmerchants.co.uk?
The main ethical concerns with Urbanmerchants.co.uk stem from its product catalogue, which includes explicitly forbidden items like alcohol (wine, champagne), pork products (prosciutto, wild boar), and foie gras (raising animal welfare issues).
What are good alternatives to Urbanmerchants.co.uk for ethical food shopping?
Good alternatives include The Ethical Superstore, Artisan Olive Oil Company, Seed & Bean Chocolates, selected halal products from Fortnum & Mason, Bayley & Sage (with careful checking), and Abel & Cole (also with checking for halal).
Does Urbanmerchants.co.uk offer international shipping?
The website indicates a “Switch to EU website” option (gourmetcentrum.com), suggesting they cater to European customers beyond the UK, implying some form of international operation.
How can I contact Urbanmerchants.co.uk customer service?
While specific contact details aren’t immediately visible on the homepage text provided, the website states, “If you have any questions regarding any of our gourmet products, please do not hesitate to get in touch,” implying standard contact methods are available elsewhere on the site.
Does Urbanmerchants.co.uk have a privacy policy?
Yes, Urbanmerchants.co.uk explicitly states, “We’ve Updated Our Privacy Policy” and provides a link to it, in preparation for GDPR.
Can I cancel an order on Urbanmerchants.co.uk?
The provided text does not specify the order cancellation policy, but most e-commerce sites have a cancellation process detailed in their terms and conditions or FAQ section.
Is there a newsletter for Urbanmerchants.co.uk?
Yes, there is a prominent pop-up on the website inviting users to “Sign up to our newsletter and get 10% off your first order!”
How long has Urbanmerchants.co.uk been in business?
Urbanmerchants.co.uk states it was “Established in 2009,” indicating they have been operating for over a decade. Clevertraining.co.uk Review
What is the company number for Urbanmerchants.co.uk?
The company number for Urbanmerchants Limited is 06839740, as displayed on their website.
What is the VAT number for Urbanmerchants.co.uk?
The VAT number for Urbanmerchants Limited is 947 265 688, as displayed on their website.
What are Urbanmerchants.co.uk’s shipping policies?
The homepage text includes a “Holiday Delivery Notice” stating, “All orders placed after 2nd June 12:00pm will be dispatched on 9th of June,” indicating they have specific dispatch schedules, but full policy details would be elsewhere.
Are there any reviews for Urbanmerchants.co.uk products on their website?
Yes, some products, like “Rack of Lamb x 2, French Trimmed, +/-1.2kg” and “Sliced Prosciutto Crudo, 500g,” show customer ratings (e.g., “Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 1 customer rating”).
Does Urbanmerchants.co.uk offer discounts for new customers?
Yes, new customers can get “10% off your first order!” by signing up for their newsletter.
Is Urbanmerchants.co.uk focused on local UK sourcing?
The website states they source from “around the world” and also mention being “one of the UK’s leading fine food and wine suppliers,” but it doesn’t explicitly focus on local UK sourcing for all products.
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