Haribo recalls cola sweets in the Netherlands after cannabis traces found

Haribo has recalled one-kilogram bags of cola sweets after several people in the Netherlands reported feeling unwell after consuming the candy. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Safety Authority (NVWA) confirmed that traces of cannabis were found in the sweets. 

Cannabis found in Haribo sweets in the Netherlands

Dutch police received reports that a number of adults and children had become dizzy after eating cola sweets by the brand Haribo, reports NOS. Haribo quickly issued a recall of one-kilogram bags of Happy Cola F!ZZ with a best-before date of January 2026, warning that the sweets “can lead to health problems such as dizziness”. 

Later, the NVWA announced that cannabis had been found in the sweets. According to NU.nl, after testing the sweets from several supermarkets, the authority found contaminated bags only in cities in the eastern parts of the Netherlands. "But the advice not to eat the sweets applies everywhere," said a spokesperson.

Haribo has urged consumers to return the bags to the company itself, not to the store where they were bought. Customers are set to receive a refund. 

Investigation into cannabis contamination of cola sweets

While Haribo has recalled the entire stock of the cola sweets in the Netherlands, it is uncertain how many people have actually fallen ill from the candy. It is also unknown how the sweets came to be laced with cannabis.

There are suspicions that the sweets were purposely contaminated. The police are still investigating the cause of the incident. Other bag sizes of the cola bottles and other sweets from Haribo have been deemed safe to consume.