Food Standards Agency warn shoppers not to buy fake Wonka and Prime-branded chocolate bars

Shoppers have been warned to avoid Wonka and Prime-branded chocolate bars due to safety concerns.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) warned that fake branded chocolate bars may be unsafe to eat as they may be made or repackaged by unregistered businesses or by criminals who will not be following hygiene, labelling and traceability laws.

The warning comes after fake Wonka Bars were removed from sale last year after they were found to contain allergens not listed on the label, posing a major threat for those with allergies.

One sweet shop owner was fined £10,000 last year for selling fake Wonka chocolate bars.

Fake prime chocolate bar Food Standards Agency

The FSA said that letters have been sent to local authorities asking them to be vigilant and to remove any fake products from sale in an effort to protect the public.

When advising people on how to identify the fake products, the FSA said that Prime had confirmed to them they do not manufacture any Prime-branded foods, only drinks.

As for a Wonka bar, they said if you see one in a shop, online or on a market stall, “it will not be the real thing. The ingredients list might not be correct, and allergen labels may not have been applied correctly”.

Tina Potter, head of incidents at the SFA said: “With Christmas coming up, don’t waste your money on fake branded chocolate for your children, friends or family – you won’t be getting what you think you are paying for and you don’t know what is in them.

“There could be a food safety risk, especially for those with food intolerances or allergies.

“We know there is a problem with potentially unsafe fake chocolate bars such as Wonka and Prime bars and we’re working with Trading Standards to protect consumers.

“Please do not buy or eat these bars and if you think you’ve bought a fake chocolate bar, or if you see something that does not seem right when you are shopping, report it to your Local Authority.”