Why Mars decided to recall its chocolate bars in 55 countries? – The echoes

This is a “red piece of plastic small” found in a Mars candy bar, in January, which is the source of a huge campaign reminders worldwide. The confectionery group Mars has indeed ordered Tuesday a recall of millions of its March confections, Milky Way, Snickers or Celebrations in 55 countries, including France, following the testimony of this unfortunate German consumer who failed chewable said “little piece of plastic” .

A “voluntary” recall

The group US, one of the giants of the global food industry, ensures that “this is an isolated incident and strictly defined” , and it has chosen to launch this recall so “voluntary” and “precaution” , while “the risk is not very high at present” . Nevertheless, the scale of the operation calls for such an incident. This concerns the production of its plant in Veghel, the Netherlands, out of which incriminated the famous Mars bar, which supplies 55 countries worldwide – mainly in Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Great Britain. ..), but also in Sri Lanka and Vietnam. And it affects a wide range of products over an extended period of production, the expiration date is June 2016 and January 2017. “We deliberately chose a very long production range to ensure that all potentially affected products will be called “, said in March Germany.

The products concerned in France

In France, the recall involves the Mars bars whose deadline consumption (DLC) is between September 4 and October 16, 2016, Snickers (DLC between July 3 and August 21, 2016), packets of miniature Mix tubo (DLC between July 10 and September 11, 2016) celebrations and candy (DLC between June 19 and August 21, 2016), according to a March release France.

a costly

“We are investigating to find out what happened exactly, but we can not be sure that a red piece of plastic (similar) is found also not in others the same product line “ of production, according to a spokesman for the group. Consumers in possession of offending bars are invited to come forward with Mars, by phone or Internet. The company’s website was unavailable however much of the day Tuesday.

The operation will involve millions of products, even if Mars did not release total figure . In the Netherlands alone, it will be 4 million bars. Which suggests, at a minimum, with a volume of several hundred tons worldwide. For comparison, the group’s factory in Haguenau in Alsace, produced 6,500 tons of chocolate confectionery (including Mars bars), when that of Viersen, Germany, out of 10 million “snacks” per day. The recall will apply mainly to the many and multiple distributors of its products and will be expensive to the group – in addition to logistics costs, it will also provide enough recharge at their expense rays

Fear of health scandal

So why engage in such proceedings. The US has experienced a precedent in August 2014, when it had to recall chocolate drink on the French market because of the “possible presence of bacteria” potentially pathogenic. But today, the incident looks like an isolated case like so many other groups sometimes have. There is no question here of a similar scandal in the presence of horse meat in the meals, which led to a long period of disaffection for frozen meat products (lasagna, etc.). Does he want to be zealous to show its responsiveness and its “good faith” and avoid degrading its long-term picture? The US group, which generates more than 30 billion turnover, declined to specify the financial impact of the recall at the moment. But he stressed hollow power and the extent of the presence of Mars in the world, the outputs of a single production line being found in 55 countries. In any case the remedy may, at least in the short term to be harder than the disease.

When Danone was penalized by a false alarm

in the summer of 2013, the New Zealand giant Fonterra, the world’s largest dairy exporter, announced that botulinum toxins found in whey batches used in the manufacture of baby milk and energy drinks. What push Danone to recall batches in China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand and New Zealand, “preventive” because botulism can cause muscle paralysis or even death.
In the end, a month later, the reviews conducted by the New Zealand authorities indicate that the bacteria had contaminated batches of the world’s largest exporter of dairy products was not that of botulism, but harmless bacteria. Danone had to pay a heavy tribute to the precautionary principle. The impact on revenue is estimated at EUR 350 million less the year 2013. That year, the French giant reported a drop in profits for the first time in ten years. Following this deal, Danone Fonterra attacked in court.