Cannabis has been discovered in Haribo sweets in the Netherlands, according to a spokesperson for the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
Several people have reportedly fallen ill after consuming the sweets. The affected product is Happy Cola F!ZZ kilogram bags, with a shelf life until January 2026. Haribo had previously warned that some bags could cause health issues, such as dizziness.
The cannabis was detected after both children and adults reported feeling unwell to the police following consumption of the sweets. The NVWA stated that it is currently unknown how cannabis ended up in the sweets, and further investigation is being conducted by the police.
The contaminated bags bear the production code L341-4002307906. Haribo urges consumers not to return these products to the store but to send them back to the company, which will issue a refund. Other Haribo products and bags with different production codes are deemed safe for consumption.
According to a spokesperson for the Belgian Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) there are currently no indications of problems in Belgium, with no complaints from consumers here. The Food Agency says it is aware that Haribo is issuing a precautionary waring in The Netherlands and is monitoring the problem.
It is in contact with Haribo and the Dutch authorities, saying; "We trust that The Netherlands will conduct the investigation correctly and will inform us and other Member States if a general problem is identified with products that have also been sold in other Member States. If it turns out that there is also a risk for Belgian consumers, we will not hesitate and will of course take the necessary measures."
