Eleven kinds of Cadbury-brand candies have been pulled from shops here, the Beijing Times reported on Wednesday.
The affected products were made by Cadbury's Beijing plant and also distributed to Hong Kong. They include Cadbury Dark Chocette 45g, Cadbury Dark Chocette 80g, Cadbury Hazelnut Praline Chocolate 312g (2008 Chinese New Year) and Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate 300g (2008 Chinese New Year).
The newspaper cited a letter dated Monday from Cadbury Asia Pacific based in Singapore to all of its marketing dealers saying that they had suspicions about some elements used in products made by Cadbury's Beijing factory and insisted the products be withdrawn until those suspicions were dispelled by lab work.
Cadbury Asia Pacific was said to have received an oral notice from Hong Kong customs that Cadbury products were suspected of containing substances similar to melamine. The company was conducting an internal inspection.
Pending lab results, Cadbury global headquarters made the decision, out of safety considerations, to withdraw the products from sale temporarily.
A saleswoman with Carrefour's outlet in Guangqumen, Beijing confirmed they were told on Monday to remove from the shelves but not recall all Cadbury products and seal them.
The company also published a service telephone line (4006501683) for consumers wanting to know about returns.
"We have paid close attention to developments in the scandal about dairy products tainted by the chemical melamine in China," Cadbury said in the letter. "We won't replenish our products until they are confirmed to be qualified for consumption."
Apart from supplying domestic markets with 10 kinds of chocolate and one type of candy known as Yikoulian, the Beijing factory also exports some of its products to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia.
(Xinhua News Agency October 2, 2008)