Banned US sweets being sold in Devon

Devon County Council are advising consumers who buy American-style and imported sweets are being urged to check the label to ensure that they do not contain banned additives.

Devon County Council are advising consumers who buy American-style and imported sweets are being urged to check the label to ensure that they do not contain banned additives.

Our Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service says that imported sweets that have not been approved for sale are becoming increasingly available in shops across the region.

They have highlighted five additives in particular that consumers should look out for which are legal in the US but are not permitted in the UK.

These are: 

• Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO)
• E127, Erythrosine (also known as Red 3 which is allowed in cocktail cherries, but not sweets.)
• Mineral Oil/White Mineral Oil
• Bleached Flour
• Zinc Aspartate

Our warning follows ongoing work by Trading Standards who have so far inspected hundreds of products intended for non-UK food markets but are being sold in some shops, nevertheless.

Officers have carried out unannounced inspections of shops looking for non-compliant sweets, breakfast cereals, bakery goods, snacks and canned/carbonated drinks.

So far, they have identified and removed products from sale containing unauthorised additives or displaying non-compliant labelling.

Additives are only authorised in the UK if they have been tested and proved to be safe for its intended use in that particular type of food or drink or if there is a justifiable technological need to use it.

A tell-tale sign if an imported product has not been approved in the UK can be seen on the label.

For instance, a US product that hasn’t been approved would list nutritional information as ‘Nutrition Facts’ and carry an American company name and address.

If the product was legal for sale in the UK, it would list a UK subsidiary of that company and often would include supplementary UK-compliant labelling placed over the original information in the form of a sticker.

Julie Richardson, our Lead Food Officer said:

“Increasingly we are seeing products banned in the UK on sale.

“If you see confectionary which you are unfamiliar with it may be imported so we advise you read label first to see if it contains one of the additives listed.

“We ask retailers to urgently remove items from sale that contain unauthorised ingredients.”

Councillor Rufus Gilbert, our Cabinet Member responsible for Trading Standards said:

“Ensuring that imported food is safe for sale and labelled correctly is an important part of our work.

“Children are asking parents to buy these sweets who often don’t realise that the ingredients they contain are banned in the UK.

“We urge retailers to use reputable wholesalers and if they are unsure about a new product line they can approach us, and we will be happy to check and assist.

“Our message to shoppers is to always check product labels carefully before buying.”