Vietnam asks importers to check shipments after Mars chocolate recall
Vietnam asks importers to check shipments after Mars chocolate recall
The Vietnamese food safety watchdog has requested 15 food importers to check stocks of Mars Inc. products, in the wake of a voluntary recall of four of the U.S. confectionery maker’s flagship brands.
Businesses importing the sweets should report the number of Mars products they have imported and sold, as well as any unsold inventory, to the Vietnam Food Administration (VFA) by February 27, the watchdog said on its website on Thursday.
The decision came one day after Mars announced the global recall of Snickers, Mars, Milky Way, and Celebrations products made in its Netherlands factory.
The New Jersey-based company called the move a “precautionary decision,” after a small piece of red plastic was found in a Snickers bar in Germany.
The recall concerns only specific products manufactured at the Netherlands facility during the production period from December 5, 2015 to January 18, 2016, according to the announcement.
With affected Mars products shipped to 55 countries, including Vietnam, the chocolate manufacturer quickly moved to notify food safety agencies around the world of the recall.
Mars said only products with packaging labeled with the “Mars Netherlands” tag are affected by the recall, adding that the easiest way for consumers to determine whether they have a recalled product is to inspect the label.
“If it is not labeled 'Mars Netherlands,' it is not included in the recall,” it said.
On January 8, a consumer in Germany found red plastic in a Snickers bar and sent it back to the company, according to Reuters.
Mars said in Wednesday’s announcement that the company believed it was “an isolated incident.”
According to Reuters, Mars is one of the world's largest food companies.
The confectioner currently produces 29 chocolate brands including M&M's, Galaxy, Twix, Bounty and Maltesers.
Aside from chocolate, Mars makes Wrigley gum, Uncle Ben's Rice, Dolmio pasta sauce, and Pedigree pet food.
