Thousands of sweets, snacks and fizzy drinks being sold in UK shops could contain potentially harmful additives associated with behavioural complications and some cancers.
A recent audit from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) detected 4,000 potentially harmful UPF items for sale in corner shops in Staffordshire alone.
Jolly Ranchers, Swedish Fish, Lemonheads and Twizzlers are among the American sweets that are said to contain potentially hazardous or undeclared ingredients.
In addition, Cheetos crisps and the US version of the soft drink Mountain Dew are among the items being seized by authorities.
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The preservative EDTA is banned in fizzy drinks in the UK. However, the US version of Mountain Dew contains EDTA – a compound which has previously been linked to the development of colon cancers and fertility complications.
Several jelly sweets also contained a carrageenan – a thickener made from red seaweed which is forbidden from being added to jelly-like confectionary sold in Britain due to it being a choking hazard to children.
Mineral oils used in sweets to increase the shelf life of products are also banned in the UK, as well as chemically bleached flour.
According to the CTSI, several products also failed to stick to UK regulations surrounding allergy warnings, and in some cases were long expired.
CTSI Lead Officer for Food, Dean Cooke said: “Social media has amplified the demand for American sweets, with influencers on platforms like TikTok showcasing these colourful products in ways that appeal to children and teenagers.
“While this drives seasonal sales, it also creates a dangerous market for items that fail to meet UK safety standards.”
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He added: “While trading standards officials were working to take such products off British shelves, parents need to be vigilant in checking labels to protect their children from potential harm. Importers, by law, have to re-label products with a UK or GB address. If food does not have a UK or HB address on the label, we would advise them not to buy it.”
Councillor Victoria Wilson, who is responsible for trading standards at Staffordshire County Council, where the recent audit was conducted, said: “During this pilot project, we were alarmed to find over 3,300 unsafe items on sale, many of which contained unauthorised ingredients and were targeted at children.
“These items are often poorly labelled and can contain harmful additives, posing serious public health concerns.”
She added: “Parents need to stay alert and avoid products with unclear labelling, especially during the festive season.”
