Haribo will reimburse shipping costs related to the recall on 31 May of Happy Cola F!ZZ sweets in 1kg bags that may contain cannabis, after being challenged on this issue by the consumer association Testachats, which contested the procedure.
Haribo claims that this is a misunderstanding. Testachats points out that, in general, it is sufficient to return the product to the store where it was purchased, and the buyer will then be reimbursed.
This time, however, the procedure is different, with Haribo asking Belgian consumers not to return the product to the store, but to send it, with its contents and their bank details, to its address in Kontich.
The purchase price will then be refunded, Testachats continues. "For us, this approach is unacceptable, as the shipping costs are not refunded, even though it is a one-kilogram package, which means that these costs can be close to the price of the bag of sweets," says Julie Frère, spokesperson for Testachats.
"But it is also illegal, as the applicable European legislation clearly states that a company that organises a product recall for safety reasons must offer consumers an effective, free and rapid remedy and that consumers must not bear the costs of returning the product."
In the meantime, the consumer association has contacted Haribo, and the candy manufacturer has stated that it will reimburse the shipping costs as well as the purchase price.
Credit: Belga/Christoph Hardt
Earlier this week, Haribo Belgium announced that the cause and nature of cannabis contamination in their sweets remain unknown.
Traces of cannabis were recently found in Haribo’s cola bottle sweets after several people, including children and adults, fell ill in the Netherlands after consuming them. The company recalled the entire stock from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
On Tuesday, it was revealed that two young children in the Netherlands became ill after eating Haribo sweets containing cannabis. One child was even temporarily in a coma in a hospital in Almelo, but both are now recovering.
In a press release on Tuesday evening, Haribo expressed sympathy for those affected and relief that they are recovering well.
The company stated that six days ago, Dutch authorities contacted Haribo. Based on the information provided, Haribo immediately decided to conduct a full preventive recall of the entire production batch of the affected product from the Belgian, Dutch, and Luxembourg markets.
The cause and nature of the contamination are still being investigated by authorities, and Haribo is fully cooperating with them to support their investigation.
