Ferrero’s Kinder Surprise toy linked to child’s death in France
The public prosecutor of Saint-Gaudens near Toulouse has opened an investigation to determine the cause of death.
Ferrero cooperating with authorities
Ferrero said in a statement in French that it was closely cooperating with prosecutors.
The Italian firm said the safety of consumers, especially children, was its number one priority.
It said all products it places on the market were controlled by institutions approved by the European community.
“The Ferrero Group and its employees associate with the pain of the family of the girl and her family,” said the company in the translated statement.
The three-and-a-half year old girl died at the weekend in Haute-Garonne. Her mother told police she had swallowed a small plastic wheel from a toy Kinder Surprise egg.
Kinder eggs in the US
Kinder Surprise eggs are not sold in the US due to a 1938 ban on toy-filled confections.
However, this ban was overcome in 2013 by the Atlantic Candy Company, which now produces toy-filled character confections for the Yowie Group and Choco Treasure, using a special child-safe pod.
Earlier this month, Atlantic Candy Company said it was now able to produce toy-filled candy using its pod for others under license, opening up the prospect for a US Kinder Surprise launch.
Atlantic Candy sold European rights to its patents for the capsule to Ferrero in 2004.
