EHOs' haul of illegal sweets saves Londoners from a Halloween fright

Products containing unauthorised ingredients — some linked to cancer and organ failure — have also been found on sale in Staffordshire and Worcestershire

Trick or treaters could have been in for an early scare this Halloween had it not been for Westminster City Council Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) who seized over 600 illegal items filled with additives, colourings and e-numbers banned in the UK.

The 676-strong haul confiscated from a sweet shop on Oxford Street included American cereals, crisps and fizzy drinks to the value of £2852.75. Westminster Magistrates Court ordered their destruction and awarded Westminster Council £3110.25; the business – a repeat offender – had to pay for the incineration.

Many products, such as chocolate bars, were not labelled in English, meaning consumers could not check ingredients, sell by dates, or allergens. Illegal Lucky Charms Cereal, KitKats, Lion Bars and bottled drinks including Mirinda and Fanta – all containing dangerous and harmful ingredients – were also found by Trading Standards.

In the last three months, 2,374 contraband products from the same shop have been destroyed, including Swedish Fish and Hot Tamales, both banned in the UK due to the impact their additive ingredients can have on children.

“This collection of illegal sweets was enough to send a shiver down anyone’s spine,” said Councillor Adam Hug, Leader of Westminster City Council. “We are continuing to make the lives of unscrupulous traders a nightmare through regular enforcement action and putting pressure on landlords…I hope traders who seem happy to sell illegal goods to children are ready for a fright.”

Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Advisor at the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said most sweets and confectionery on sale in the UK are safe and legal. “However, consumers should be alert to the risk of some products manufactured abroad that do not meet UK standards and have been placed on the market illegally. Such products can include some American-style confectionery, baked goods and drinks. They might look different from your regular brands, have the weight listed in non-UK measurements or use American names for ingredients on the label.”

These products may not declare allergens on the label and might contain ingredients such as additives or colourings that are not authorised in certain food in the UK, May added.

Illegal products include the US-version of Mountain Dew, Sunny D, Dubble Bubble, Jolly Rancher gummies and hard candy, and Twizzlers, and contain unauthorised ingredients, some of which are linked to cancer, reproductive issues and organ failure.

“…it is important that imported food is accurately labelled in English with the allergens declared.”

Diabetes UK notes that offending items such as Swedish Fish and Lemonheads contain white mineral oil, which is banned as a food additive in the UK and which some studies have linked to an increased risk of non-melanoma skin cancer and bladder cancer. Food colourings E102, E104, E110, E122, E124 and E129 have all been linked with hyperactivity in children and must carry a warning on the packaging.

Illegal confectionery has also been found on sale in Staffordshire and Worcestershire. Lisa McNally, Director of Public Health in Worcestershire, said: “It's quite worrying to see so many products on sale that may contain unauthorised ingredients, especially as they are targeted at children…it is important that imported food is accurately labelled in English with the allergens declared”

Social media websites and internet marketplaces are increasingly selling such items. McNally added: “Our message to shoppers is to always buy from legitimate sources and check product labels carefully before buying."