The popular French spread Nutella might soon disappear from the shelves of our supermarkets. And this time it’s not related to the war in Ukraine. Find out why.
Evil Nutella! On April 27, 2022, the Indonesian government voted an embargo on its oilseed exports (including palm oil). The head of government, Joko Widodo, assessed the inflation affecting his country as very high and decided to limit the exports to favor consumers in his country, as Le Figaro reports.
A ban on palm oil
Although 47% of the palm oil imported into Europe comes from Indonesia, most of it is not imported from this country by Ferrero, an Italian company. Indeed, the Ferrero company, which produces Nutella, sources 20% of its palm oil from Indonesia and 80% from Malaysia. the risk of seeing this product disappear so breakfast is not so big for now.
In addition, the company’s massive stocks help stabilize the current situation and limit the damage of such a decision by Indonesia. So don’t panic for spread aficionados, there is no immediate risk of not finding this product on your shelves very soon.
A decision not directly related to the war in Ukraine
Palm oil is an important element in many products food such as prepared meals and cakes of all kinds, but also in cosmetics.
This decision therefore has a relatively small impact on the production of Nutella. The embargo is not directly due to the war in Ukraine, but rather to the tensions generated by the rise in prix in these countries.
Kinder Joy are not recalled by @ChildrenFR et #Ferrero but given their appearance do not eat them, I opened one to see pic.twitter.com/sxvVuCkxR6
— Oriane⁷????️???????????? (@Oriaanej) April 18, 2022
On the other hand, sunflower oil is a product that will disappear from French supermarkets. This is due to the war in Ukraine, which prevents exports of sunflower oil from this country: prices increase or production becomes scarce. Ukraine usually handles 50% of world exports and is the leading exporter of this vegetable oil.
Nutella at its worst right now
After the discovery of white bubbles in Nutella and certain chocolates, Ferrero wants to reassure consumers
Following the health scandal which affected the group, many customers were concerned regarding discovering small blisters on the surface of their spreads or inside certain confectioneries.
These blisters are balls of oil which are not dangerous and do not alter the taste of the productthe company said.
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We would like to reassure consumers that these traces are not linked to “salmonella colonies”, but that it is a change in the consistency of the product due to storage conditions. This in no way affects the quality and taste of the product.— ChildrenFR (@childrenFR) April 18, 2022
Le recall of many Kinder products in recent weeks due to suspected salmonella contamination has marked the minds of consumers : they are now very suspicious of the confectioneries of the Italian group Ferrero, and watch for the slightest sign of trouble. Since Easter, several customers have expressed their anger on social media, sharing photos of Nutella spreads with small whitish blisters on top.
These products are not the only ones to be blamed: some consumers have also discovered fine bubbles inside Kinder Eggs, chocolates specially sold for Easterbut also in the cream of Kinder Joy.
#Ferrero what is it ??? pic.twitter.com/dNP25SL7mH
— sofia (@by_sofia75) April 18, 2022
Like Nutella, these eggs had not been affected by the recall of all Kinder products from the Belgian factory in Arlon produced between October 15 and January 10, identified as the epidemic following the discovery of 150 cases of salmonellosis linked to the consumption of certain Kinder chocolates produced on site, such as the calendars of Advent, marketed at the end of 2021. The contaminated batches had been sold in nine European countries, including France, and had caused infections, in particular among children less than ten years old.
Find below the list of products @ChildrenFR affected by the current recall.
We are currently working with distributors to ensure these products are no longer available for sale: pic.twitter.com/xUjN6R9dAJ— Ferrero in France (@FerreroFr) April 7, 2022
On Twitter, the Kinder group, accused of having slow to react following the discovery of cases of salmonellosis, responded directly to one of its customers to reassure consumers. He explained that the visible traces were linked to a change in the consistency of the product due to storage conditions, without affecting the quality and taste of chocolates or spreads, which remain consumable.
It is a known phenomenon in industry which is called “granini”. It corresponds to small balls of oil that form following temperature variations, the company told Le Figaro.
A few days earlier, the house mother Ferrero (Nutella) had also shared a specific list of chocolates affected by the current recall.
Moreover, contrary to what some Internet users claim, salmonella is not visible to the naked eye: this bacterium measures 0.7 to 1.5 micrometers in diameter, and 2 to 5 micrometers in length. The group provides its consumer service by telephone on 0800 653 653, but also by e-mail at [email protected]or on its social networks, by private or public message.
