Candy Manufacturer Haribo Recalls Sweets After Cannabis Found In Them

Germany-based candy maker Haribo has recalled its Happy Cola F!ZZ sweets in the Netherlands after it was found to contain traces of cannabis. Several people, including children, suffered health complaints such as dizziness after consuming the candy from three one-kilogram packs, the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) said.

The recall applies to the items under the production code L341-4002307906, with a best before date of January 2026. Haribo added that a full refund would be provided for the packs returned, according to a report in The Guardian.

"There are bags in circulation with sweets that can lead to health complaints, such as dizziness, when consumed," NVWA spokesperson Saida Ahyad said.

"The police reported this to the NVWA after several people, both children and adults, became ill after eating the cola bottles. Do not eat the sweets," she added.

According to the Dutch police, a couple from the Twente region in the east of the country bought a pack of the cola-bottle shaped sweets to the local police station for analysis after their young children became sick after eating them. The forensic analysis revealed that the candy pack did contain cannabis.

“We want to know exactly how it got into the candy and, of course, how the bags ended up in the store,” police spokesperson Chantal Westerhoff said.

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Haribo issued a statement, stating it was working with the authorities to find out how the marijuana was added to its products.

"This is a live issue and we are working closely with the Dutch authorities to support their investigation and establish the facts," said Haribo's vice president of marketing, Patrick Tax.

"The safety of our consumers is our highest priority, and Haribo takes this incident very seriously."

This is not the first instance when drugs have been found in children's sweets. In 2023, six children got sick in The Hague after eating candy containing THC, one of the active ingredients in cannabis. As per police officials, drug smugglers are increasingly using candies as a cover to move their product and lacing them with THC and other compounds.