photos of dubious stains, investigation… Ferrero in turmoil

KINDER REMINDER. After the huge failure of the Easter festivities, Kinder chocolates have now become suspicious for consumers, who do not hesitate to post photos of dubious eggs and challenge Ferrero on social networks…

[Mis à jour le 19 avril 2022 à 17h16] Ferrero and its Kinder brand are not done with the crisis. While the famous chocolates were the big absentees from the Easter holidays, because of a massive recall, the torments accumulate for the Italian food giant, which admitted to having detected salmonella bacteria as early as mid- December, at its factory in Arlon, Belgium. In total, more than 150 cases of salmonellosis have been identified worldwide in people who have consumed Kinder manufactured on the site. Complaints from parents who have seen their child sick, even hospitalized in recent weeks, are beginning to be mentioned here and there. The company is also targeted, since Monday, April 11, by a judicial investigation opened by the prosecutor’s office of the province of Luxembourg.

And many consumers seem to have lost confidence in the Kinder brand. During the Easter weekend, several messages were posted on social networks to challenge Ferrero on questionable stains observed on certain Kinder chocolates which were able to remain on the shelves because they were not affected by the salmonella scandal. Nutella, another well-known product from Ferrero, was also pointed out.

Faced with these messages relayed in the local press, the Ferrero group quickly replied that these stains were “not linked to colonies of salmonella”, bacteria invisible to the naked eye. The manufacturer of Kinder and Nutella evokes “a change in the consistency of the product due to storage conditions”. And above all, he assures that this observation “does not alter the quality and taste of the product”.

Salmonella in Kinder, from suspicion to scandal?

Kinder, the Ferrero brand which, among other things, has established itself on the Easter chocolate market in recent years (approximately 45% market share according to LSA magazine), has been totally or almost completely absent from the festivities this year. Since the beginning of April, the presence of salmonella in the famous chocolates has been suspected and the Italian industrialist has been forced to recall a very large quantity of its products.

First confined to the stage of probability, the presence of salmonella in the Kinder factory in Arlon, Belgium, was recognized by the food group on April 7 in a press release, who also mentioned “internal failures”. The presence of salmonella bacteria had indeed been detected as early as December 15 in the factory, according to Ferrero, in other words before the end of year celebrations during which Kinder are also massively consumed.

In France, a alert had been issued by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday April 5, when the first suspicions of salmonellosis were reported, following a first communicated of the Ferrero group published the day before. If initially a series of well-defined Kinder batches were incriminated, the Ferrero group last week extended its recall to a much broader list of products than originally. Faced with the risk of contamination, it is best to avoid consuming any chocolate from these different ranges.

Attention, the expiry date, mentioned at the start of the crisis, is no longer to be scrutinized since Kinder has extended the recall to all products from the following ranges: Kinder Surprise, Kinder Schoko-bons, Kinder Mini-Eggs, Kinder Mix, Kinder Happy Moments and Kinder Surprise 100 grams.

• Kinder Schoko-Vouchers : the recall is massive on these small chocolate eggs individually wrapped and sold in sachets since all formats are concerned: those with milk in sachets 125 grams, 150g, 200g, 225g, 300g, 330g, 350g, 480g and 500g but also those in white chocolate, called Schoko-bons White in 200g and 300g formats.
• Kinder Surprise : all boxes containing 20 gram Kinder Surprises (the classic format sold all year round) are concerned, whether Kinder Surprise eggs are sold by one, three, four or by box of six.
• Kinder Surprise Maxi 100 grams : these larger eggs, sold during the holidays, are also affected by this Kinder recall.
• Kinder Mini Eggs : all the batches of these mini eggs sold in particular at the time of the holidays or Easter are also concerned: whether they are in milk chocolate, hazelnut or filled with cocoa. The so-called Mini Eggs Mix assortments are also in this product recall.
• Kinder Happy Moments : are concerned the packaging 191 grams (boxes) but also 242 grams, 347 grams and 400 grams.
• KinderMix : are concerned the “plush” pack 133 grams and the “egg hunt basket” 150g, the bag 193 grams, the bucket 198 grams and the car 125 grams

Ferrero in France wanted to remind in a press release published before Easter that Kinder products “are not all affected by the current recall”. The brand indicates that “the large Kinder Easter flame eggs – MAXI KINDER SURPRISE” are not affected by this recall.

Several hundred tons of chocolate remain de facto concerned. All of the recalled products are made in Belgium, in the Arlon factory, where 46,000 tonnes of chocolate were produced in 2017 according to the brand. The Belgian subsidiary of Ferrero specifies on its website that this production site “today has 8 production lines and manufactures Kinder Schoko-Bons exclusively for the whole world.” Other Kinder products such as Kinder Bueno, small Kinder Chocolate bars or the largest Kinder Maxi are not affected by this recall, such as Kinder Country or the range of large flame eggs sold for Easter (eggs of 220 grams).

The recall was carried out following the reporting of several cases of salmonellosis in Europe, including in France at the beginning of April 2022. These cases led to a rapprochement to the Kinder factory in Arlon in Belgium, sick people, in particular children, having consumed Kinder chocolates in the previous days. In a press release published on Thursday April 7, Ferrero, a group which notably owns the Kinder and Nutella brands, gave new information on the investigation carried out in one of its factories and recognized the presence of salmonella. And this would go back to mid-December 2021.

“As part of our control systems, the presence of salmonella was detected on December 15, 2021 at the Arlon site in Belgium. After an in-depth investigation, the origin was identified as being a filter at the outlet of the two reservoirs of raw materials. Materials and finished products were blocked and were not delivered”, specifies the group.

What if we bought Kinder chocolates?

Consumers who, for Easter or for another reason, have purchased one of the Kinder products affected by Ferrero’s massive recall, are invited not to consume them and to contact the brand. Several services have been set up to contact Ferrero, the group that owns Kinder among its brands:

• a toll-free number (free call): 0800 653 653
• an email: [email protected]

Be careful, the waiting time can be long, recognizes Ferrero in a press release. “Many of you contact us and we are aware of the waiting times on the helpline. We sincerely thank you for your patience and we want to ensure that each request will be answered”, specifies the group.

On its Twitter account, Kinder France posted a message in mid-April assuring that “throughout the Easter weekend, [son] consumer service remains at your disposal on 0800 653 653 or by email [email protected]”. “Our teams also remain mobilized on social networks to answer your questions in private message or in public”, further specifies the post.

It is about twenty cases of salmonellosis noted by the health authorities in France which caused this recall of Kinder chocolates “as a precaution” first as a precaution then for a proven presence of salmonella in the Belgian factory of Ferrero in Arlon. The number of cases detected in Europe and around the world has since multiplied.

Salmonella (or Salmonella) is a bacterium that can spread and multiply in the digestive system and cause salmonellosis: a food infection that manifests itself in gastrointestinal disorders, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach aches. Complications can arise and lead to a generalized infection with fever, typhoid and paratyphoid fever or even sepsis. Most cases of salmonellosis are mild, but depending on the cases and the profile of those infected, sometimes the disease is life-threatening. Symptoms appear on average after one to three days of incubation. A few cases of severe complications, leading to meningitis or septicemia, have already been observed in the past, in susceptible people.

It is therefore advisable to monitor children who have consumed Kinder chocolates within forty-eight hours after ingestion. People who have consumed the Kinder products mentioned above and who show symptoms are invited to consult their doctor without delay.

The number of cases of salmonellosis in the world, directly linked to the consumption of Kinder chocolates, is around 150 according to an article in the newspaper Le Monde dated April 18. Several dozen cases have been identified in Belgium. The situation in France was last summarized on April 12, by Public Health France : “33 cases have been identified by the National Reference Center (CNR) for salmonella at the Institut Pasteur in France”, wrote the agency dependent on the Ministry of Health at the time. “The cases are spread over 11 regions: Ile-de-France (6 cases), Grand-Est (5 cases), Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (4 cases), Hauts-de-France (4 cases), Nouvelle-Aquitaine (3 cases), Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (3 cases), Normandy (2 cases), Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (2 cases), Brittany (2 cases), Corsica (1 case), and Occitanie (1 cases), with a median age of 4 years, and 17 boys and 16 girls.”

Of the 22 cases that could be “questioned”, nine were hospitalized and all have now returned home. No deaths were observed. “The median age of cases is 4 years old”, detailed the DGCCRF a little earlier in the month. Infants and young children, but also the elderly, pregnant women or immunocompromised people are most at risk in the event of salmonellosis due to the risk of severe dehydration following symptoms of acute diarrhea.

If you have purchased any Kinder products listed above, the Department of Health asks that you “do not consume them and dispose of them immediately”. If you wish to obtain a refund, take a photo of the packaging as well as the product references present on this same packaging. You are invited to report it by calling the number provided by Ferrero or by writing to the email address provided:

• the telephone number set up by Ferrero is as follows: 0800 653 653 (freephone).
• the contact email address is: [email protected]

You will be asked for the expiry date and the barcode number in particular. This contact will also make it possible to initiate a request for reimbursement.