Retailers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are being instructed to immediately halt the sale of several Jolly Rancher products following a safety alert from the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
The FSA has warned that a range of Jolly Rancher sweets, manufactured by The Hershey Company in the US, contain mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) and mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) – substances not permitted in food products sold in the UK.
While the immediate food safety risk to consumers is considered low, regular or high-level consumption of these substances may pose serious health risks, including potential DNA damage and increased cancer risk.
“Food businesses selling these products in the UK are advised to immediately stop sales, undertake product withdrawals and where there have been retail sales, to undertake product recalls. This is because the products are unsafe and do not meet UK market legal requirements. The Hershey Company, who is the brand owner, has taken action to remove these products from the UK market,” the FSA said in its alert.
The affected lines include Jolly Rancher Hard Candy, Jolly Rancher ‘Misfits’ Gummies, Jolly Rancher Hard Candy Fruity 2 in 1, and Jolly Rancher Berry Gummies. The recall affects all pack sizes, batches and best-before dates of these products.
Although The Hershey Company proactively stopped supplying the UK market in 2024, the FSA noted that unauthorised imports have continued via third-party distributors. Enforcement authorities have now been instructed to trace and remove these non-compliant products from circulation.
The agency asked food businesses who import these products to discontinue import and distribution of products.
Retailers should display clear point-of-sale notices in-store and online where applicable, advising consumers of the recall and what actions they should take.
Consumers who have purchased any of the listed products should not eat them and are advised to dispose of the items at home. Any concerns should be reported to local Trading Standards or environmental health teams.
