What Happened, Haribo? A Deep Dive Into The Haribo Recall

If you’re a fan of Haribo sweets, you might be in for a surprise when next you taste a bag of its gummies. The brand is currently in the spotlight because some consumers, including kids, got sick after enjoying gummies from a bag of Haribo Happy Cola F!ZZ. Even wilder, investigations revealed that the gummies in question contained cannabis.

What Really Happened?

In late May 2025, several residents of the Twente region in eastern Netherlands, including young children, fell ill after eating Haribo gummies. Their symptoms included dizziness and other health complaints, and the Dutch police say the children got the worst of it.

Investigations revealed that the culprit candy was Haribo’s Happy Cola F!ZZ, which is a cola-bottle-shaped and flavored gummy. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) tested samples from the bag of gummies consumed by the victims and found traces of cannabis.

In response to these shocking findings, Haribo issued a public recall on May 29, 2025, for all Happy Cola F!ZZ gummies sold in 1-kilogram (1,000-gram) bags in the Netherlands. Specifically, bags with a best-before date of January 2026 and product code “L341-4002307906,” which are the same batch and type consumed by the victims. The NVWA has also warned consumers in the country to avoid buying the 1,000-gram F!ZZ pack.

The extensive recall may seem like overkill, considering cannabis contamination was found in only three bags of Haribo’s Happy Cola F!ZZ. However, in a statement to PEOPLE, Haribo made it clear that “The safety of our consumers is our highest priority and Haribo takes this incident very seriously, which is why a recall has been issued in the Netherlands.“

What Caused It?

How exactly cannabis got into a bag of sweets from one of the top candy makers is still a mystery. Some speculators suspect that it was a bad batch accidentally made by Haribo. However, laboratory tests performed by the brand on warehoused batches, raw materials, and products didn’t find cannabis or irregularities in the manufacturing process.

Other speculators believe the contaminated products were actually counterfeits, which is a bigger problem than you think. This would explain why Haribo found no traces of cannabis in its production line. Lastly, there’s the possibility of sabotage, but for now, uncertainty still surrounds how the contaminated batch of Haribo sweets came to be.

READ: Why Cannabis Legalization Helps Prevent Product Recalls

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The Latest on the Haribo F!ZZ Recall

Since recalling the batch of gummies with the same production code as the three affected bags, no other Netherlanders have reported issues. To ensure no potentially contaminated bags remain in circulation, the candy maker is offering refunds to customers who return recalled packs to Haribo by mail.

On June 18, 2025, the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) concluded its investigation into the Haribo cola candies. It reported finding no cannabis or related substances in the batches from the confectionery brand’s production or distribution process.

But it’s not over. Investigations by the Public Prosecution Service are still ongoing to figure out why the children became unwell and whether Haribo should be held accountable. We’ll update you as soon as new information emerges. For now, the confectionery giant guarantees that all its products, aside from the recalled ones, are safe to consume.

Is Cannabis Contamination Common?

No, cannabis contamination in the non-cannabis food industry is, in fact, uncommon. In most cases, cannabis ends up in food products intentionally, usually in regulated markets where edibles are legally produced and sold. These products must follow strict dosage and safety rules. Also, clear labels mark such products as cannabis-infused, and stores don’t keep them on the same shelves as regular foods.

Facts like these are what make the Haribo incident so unusual. But while food contaminated with cannabis is rare, it does happen. The most common scenario involves unscrupulous imitation brands offering cannabis edibles with the same packaging as well-known brands. Such products have raised serious concerns about accidental consumption.

For instance, cases of children within and outside the U.S. unintentionally ingesting such cannabis-infused products have become more common. There was also an incident in August 2023 where six children in the Netherlands required hospitalization after ingesting sweets containing THC. To be clear, these kids ate the candy, not knowing they were cannabis treats.

Should You Go Looking for Cannabis-Contaminated Sweets for a Cheap High?

No, you shouldn’t because you have no idea what else might be in the product. “Cannabis-contaminated” means the product was never meant to contain cannabis in the first place. That means the sweets could also have other unknown or harmful substances or unsafe levels of THC.

For your safety, stick to legally made, clearly labeled, and tested cannabis products so you know their exact cannabinoid content. Better yet, make your own cannabis-infused treats using one of our recipes, like our canna-lollipop recipe.