Lidl Spain Urgently Recalls Apricot Fragrance Car Paint Cleaner And Protector
Spain News
Published: 07 September 2023 15:54 CET
Lidl has decided to stop selling a cleaner that has an apricot scent and a look that could be mistaken for a soft drink. A consumer raised concerns about this product on social media, prompting Facua, a consumer advocacy organisation, to formally request its removal back in July.
The product in question is a car paint cleaner and protector called "Robbyrob." It was available in all Lidl stores in Spain and was imported from Germany. The product was sold in a one-litre container with a red cap and a clear bottle that allowed the orange liquid inside to be visible. It was labelled as having an "apricot fragrance," which could easily confuse consumers, especially children, into thinking it was a drink. The primary label on the product was in English and German, making it harder for consumers to realise it was not for consumption.
Lidl took voluntary corrective actions and informed consumers through its website, urging them to return the product for a refund after investigating the complaint.
In July, Facua lodged a formal complaint against the manufacturer of the product, Walter Schmidt, with the General Directorate of Consumer Affairs and the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (Aesan) under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. The complaint was based on the marketing of this cleaner and protector in Spain, which had packaging that could be easily confused with a soft drink.
The request for product withdrawal is grounded in legal regulations. According to Royal Decree 770/1999, products with characteristics that might lead consumers, especially children, to mistake them for food products and ingest them must be removed from the market.
Similarly, Article 35 of Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 specifies that containers for hazardous substances or mixtures meant for the general public should not resemble food, feed, medicines, or cosmetics packaging in a way that could mislead consumers or attract children's curiosity.
Sources
https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2023/09/07/lidl-retira-un-limpiador-con-fragancia-a-albaricoque-por-inducir-a-error-al-tener-la-apariencia-de-un-refresco-cadena-ser/
Image Credit: Cadenaser
