SINGAPORE, Feb 25 — The global recall of Netherlands-manufactured Mars chocolate products due to choking risks does not affect the chocolate products sold by the company’s appointed distributor here, but may affect products brought into Singapore by duty-free retailers or third party importers, the company said yesterday.

In response to queries, the company said the Republic is on the list of 55 countries affected by the recall, even though products brought in by its appointed distributor DKSH Singapore, such as Snickers and Mars bars, are imported from China, Australia, and the United States.

But there is a possibility that some of the affected products, which were manufactured in the company’s Netherlands facility between Dec 5 last year and Jan 18 this year, “may have been shipped to duty-free retailers or brought into Singapore by third party importers that are not associated with Mars”, said Terry Seremetis, general manager, Mars Chocolate South-east Asia & Thailand. 

The company does not have “visibility” over these products, he said in a  statement.

In a statement on Wednesday night, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) confirmed there are imports of Mars chocolate products from the Netherlands in Singapore.

It has instructed the affected importers to remove Snickers, Mars, Milky Way and Celebrations products manufactured in the Netherlands from the market immediately “as a precautionary measure”. 

Consumers who bought products bearing a “Mars Netherlands” label are advised not to consume them, the AVA added.

Dairy Farm — which operates Cold Storage, Giant, 7-Eleven and Guardian here — and NTUC FairPrice, confirmed that their chocolate products are not affected. 

A FairPrice spokesperson said it “does not carry the affected chocolate bars with the product codes and expiry dates”.

“We have been in touch with our supplier (DKSH Singapore) about these chocolates and they have assured us that the chocolates supplied to FairPrice do not come from the affected sources,” said the spokesperson.

A Dairy Farm spokesperson said: “Consumers can rest assured that our stores do not carry the Mars products from the affected batch, as they are from a different source and thus, are not affected by the recall.” 

It did not reveal its supplier but assured that none of the Mars products it carries is from the Netherlands.

Radha Exports, a parallel importer of chocolate products from Mars Incorporated, has imported products from the affected factory in the Netherlands, but a spokesperson said its goods — on shelves and in stock — are not from the affected batch.

Shops they distribute to include ABC Bargain Centre and ValuDollar shop.

The voluntary recall was announced on Tuesday after a piece of red plastic was found last month in one Snickers bar purchased in Germany. 

The recall mainly affects countries in Europe, including Germany, France and Britain, as well as certain Asian countries, according to reports. The full list of countries affected is not known.

Other than specific products manufactured in the Netherlands, “no other varieties of chocolate, pack formats or bar sizes are affected and no products manufactured at any other location are impacted”, said Seremetis in a statement. 

“This is an isolated incident.”

The company said consumers can identify affected products by looking at the label: If it does not say “Mars Netherlands”, it is not affected by the recall.

If it does, the product is not necessarily affected, but consumers should contact Jacqueline Chang at Mars Singapore at +65 6461 6124, the company said. — TODAY