Large quantities of American candy and drinks aimed at children that are not compliant, including those containing ingredients banned in this country, have been discovered in Staffordshire.
Trading Standards officers at Staffordshire County Council uncovered the items as part of a two-week-long operation to tackle the sales of unsafe imported foods, where food labelling is not in English and allergen ingredients have not been declared.
Over 50 shops and stores were inspected during the operation, with many unaware the products on sale contained ingredients banned in the UK, such as mineral oil, bleached flour or colourants. The officers also seized multiple cans and bottles of soft drinks containing EDTA, known to be linked to kidney failure.
Over 3,300 items were confiscated including Mountain Dew, Dubble Bubble, Jolly Rancher gummies and hard candy, Hot Tamales & Swedish Fish, with a street value of over £8,000
The pilot project followed a number of incidents and intelligence received by the Food Standards Agency, who funded the operation.
Victoria Wilson, Cabinet Member responsible for Trading Standards at Staffordshire County Council, said: “Making sure imported food products being sold in stores around Staffordshire are safe and labelled correctly is an important part of our Trading Standards work.
“It’s quite worrying to see so many products on sale that shouldn’t be, many of which contain unauthorised ingredients and are targeted at children.
“While the majority of foods are safe and most stores operate within the law, it is important that imported food is accurately labelled in English with the allergens declared. We are seeing more and more illegal items being sold on social media websites and marketplaces, including counterfeit foods. This has become even more prevalent as we approach Christmas and our message to shoppers is to always check product labels carefully before buying.”
Further advice on food standards and allergens is available on the Staffordshire County Council website. People can also report concerns over food standards by emailing ffah@staffordshire.gov.uk
