Did Ferrero deliberately delay alerting consumers?

Alice, 3, fell ill after eating an egg Kinder at the end of March. The doctors initially suspected gastro, but the symptoms worsened and she was then hospitalized, then lost two kilos. Tests confirm salmonellosis. “We were convinced that was it, since in addition (…) the temperature did not drop, she did not eat, she always emptied”says his father, Romain Vue. In total, 150 people were poisoned in Europe, and 21 in France, including eight children.

In mid-December, Ferrero detected the presence of salmonella in one of its factories in Belgium. The alert was not given. Three months later, the British authorities discover cases of salmonellosis. The products will only be removed from the shelves 12 days later. According to the association food watchFerrero wanted to save its Easter sales. “At that time Ferrero should have immediately notified all the authorities of the States in which these products were exported, and they should have organized an immediate recall of the products”comments Karine Jacquemart, general manager of the association. As compensation, Ferrero offered a voucher to Alice’s family.