Update 1 Food Alert “For Action”: To: Consumers who have purchased and Food Businesses who have purchased and sold Jolly Rancher products manufactured by The Hershey Company

Products affected

Jolly Rancher Hard Candy (all flavours)

• Pack size: All pack sizes
• Batch code All batch codes · Best before All dates

Jolly Rancher ‘Misfits’ Gummies (all flavours)

• Pack size: All pack sizes
• Batch code All batch codes · Best before All dates

Jolly Rancher Hard Candy Fruity 2 in 1 (all flavours)

• Pack size: All pack sizes
• Batch code All batch codes · Best before All dates

Jolly Rancher Berry Gummies (Berry flavour)

• Pack size: All pack sizes
• Batch code All batch codes · Best before All dates

Jolly Rancher Filled Pops (all flavours)

• Pack size: All pack sizes
• Batch code All batch codes · Best before All dates

Jolly Rancher Freeze Dried Candy (all flavours)

• Pack size: All pack sizes
• Batch code All batch codes · Best before All dates

Risk

Although the levels consumers are exposed to are likely to be low, they may present a risk to health because they contain MOAH. Consumption of the affected sweets is of toxicological concern, especially in younger age groups and where consumers eat a lot of the products or eat it regularly.
MOAH can cause damage to DNA and has the potential to increase the risk of cancer, particularly if consumed in high quantities over a prolonged period of time. MOAH is a genotoxic carcinogen, therefore no exposure is without risk to human health.

Action taken by the company

We are asking enforcement authorities to ensure that businesses who may have been supplied with or received the affected products take action to ensure that unsafe products are withdrawn from the market and, where sold at retail, recalled. We are also asking the Local Authorities to inform the FSA of product recall and withdrawal actions.

What you should do

If you have bought any of the above products, do not eat them. Instead, dispose of them at home. If you are concerned, notify your Trading Standards department or Environmental Health department in the Local Authority for the area in which you purchased the products.

More information

Two additional products have been included in Update 1. These products are Jolly Rancher Filled Pops and Jolly Rancher Freeze Dried Candy. This Food Alert for Action replaces earlier versions of FSA-FAFA-02-2025.

Jolly Rancher products listed below contain Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons, (MOAH), making them unsafe to eat.

Food businesses who import these products are advised to discontinue import and distribution of products.

Food businesses selling these products in the UK are advised to immediately stop sales, undertake product withdrawals and, where there have been retail sales, to undertake product recalls. The Hershey Company, who is the brand owner, has taken action to remove these products from the UK market.

The Hershey Company has continued to work collaboratively with the FSA, and despite their proactive action to remove unsafe products from UK markets in 2024, and their subsequent decision not to supply the UK market going forward, other businesses continue to import and supply the products to the UK market. The FSA therefore requested enforcing authorities in the UK to take action to remove products from the market to protect consumers.

Whilst there is no immediate cause for concern for consumers that have eaten these products, as the food safety risk is low, MOAH is a known genotoxic carcinogen and may pose a safety risk – particularly if consumed regularly, over a sustained period.

Can I get a refund?

In most cases, yes – recalled items can usually be returned for a full refund, repair or replacement, often without a receipt. Follow the instructions in the notice above, or contact the shop you bought it from. More on your rights after a recall.

Updated 16 January 2026. This page summarises an official notice. Details can change – always follow the official notice.