Withdrawal of Haribo Products in the Netherlands Following Detection of Cannabis Traces
Haribo has pulled its “Happy Cola Fizz” brand from the shelves in the Netherlands on Thursday after traces of cannabis were detected in some packages, resulting in health issues for several individuals, including children.
The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority announced that the contamination affected only three bags of Haribo’s "Happy Cola Fizz." However, it launched a broad recall of the entire product line as a precautionary measure.
The authority stated, “There are circulating bags that may contain candy that could cause health problems, such as dizziness, when consumed.”
A spokesperson for the authority, Saida Ayad, noted, “Cannabis was found in the mentioned candy resembling cola bottles.”
The police alerted the authority after several individuals, both children and adults, fell ill after consuming this type of candy.
Ayad added that the police are currently investigating how the cannabis reached the candy bags.
After consulting with the National Food Industry Authority, and as is customary in such cases, Haribo issued a warning urging consumers not to eat this candy.
For his part, Patrick Tax, Vice President of Marketing at the German company, confirmed that the product withdrawal includes “a limited number of cases” and one type of product in the eastern part of the country.
He stated in a release to AFP, “The safety of our consumers is our top priority, and Haribo takes this incident very seriously.”
Tax further added, “This matter is under investigation, and we are working closely with Dutch authorities to support their inquiries and uncover the facts that led to the contamination.”
