Parents in Britain have been warned again about unauthorized additives in imported US snacks, sweets and fizzy drinks.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) said confectionery products are being promoted by social media influencers on platforms such as TikTok. The nonprofit previously raised the issue in late 2023.
Convenience stores and high street stores have started stocking these products to meet seasonal demand driven by young people. Some of the imported products do not meet UK safety and regulatory standards, lack appropriate allergen declarations or contain unauthorized or excessive additives with potential health risks.
Problem with gray market goods
In Staffordshire, officers have tried to tackle the problem and in a pilot project funded by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), they have seized 3,700 items worth around £10,000 ($12,700) from local shops.
Products contain unauthorized additives such as mineral oil and bleached flour; yellow 6 (E110): found in corn-based snacks, linked to hyperactivity in children; EDTA: an additive banned in drinks and linked to developmental problems in animal studies, and carrageenan: used in jelly cups, which poses a choking hazard.
Victoria Wilson, cabinet member responsible for trading standards at Staffordshire County Council, said: “During this pilot project we were alarmed to find more than 3,300 unsafe items on sale, many of which contained unauthorized ingredients and were intended for children. These items are often poorly labeled and may contain harmful additives, posing serious public health concerns.”
These products, often referred to as gray market goods, are manufactured for non-UK markets and do not meet UK food safety standards.
According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), imports of such goods are not necessarily identifiable through manifest declarations and will often be in a composite loading arrangement in shipping containers, making identification at ports difficult. The FSA has written to companies identified as importers of such goods to inform them and remind them of their responsibilities.
Concerns have also been raised with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, the FDA’s ability to act is limited as the items are manufactured for the US market and comply with US food laws.
Previous enforcement
Earlier this year, samples of American sweets and drinks from two Worcester stores tested by the Public Analyst contained unauthorized additives. Items include canned and bottled Mountain Dew drinks, Sunny D, Hot Tamales, Twizzlers and Lemonhead.
More than 670 items at an Oxford Street sweet shop were also destroyed following a visit by Westminster City Council’s environmental health team. Trading Standards revealed Lucky Charms cereals, KitKats, Lion Bars and bottled drinks including Mirinda and Fanta contained potentially harmful ingredients.
Consumers should check labeling carefully. The easiest way for people to check whether goods are US imports or not is to see how the weight is recorded. In Britain grams and milliliters are used, while in America it is fluid ounce and ounce.
Dean Cooke, chief food officer at CTSI, said: “Retailers must take responsibility to ensure compliance, and parents must be vigilant when checking labels to protect their children from potential harm.
“Importers must by law relabel products with a UK/GB address. If there is a problem with the food, customers and trading standards may need to contact a legally responsible person in this country. If food does not have a UK/GB address on the label, we would advise them not to buy it.”
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