In 2017, the chocolate manufacturer Plamil updated the packaging of some of its chocolate varieties, removing the label "Nut-free without traces." At the same time, the products were renamed " So free ."
Even though the packaging and name have changed, Plamil assures that these are still exactly the same products as before. Production still takes place in a nut-free, peanut-free environment, and the ingredients still come from the same suppliers with very strict allergen requirements.
Plamil continues to place the utmost importance on allergen-free chocolate production. Plamil has issued a statement in English with detailed information on its allergen policy.
The really big change is that since the switch, Plamil has stopped labeling its varieties as free of nut/peanut traces! But how did this step come about, which is not without consequences for you as a customer and also for Plamil?
The Irish Food Safety Authority of Ireland had Plamil's chocolate tested for trace elements by an institute. However, the test results led to misinterpretations, resulting in several problems and misunderstandings. According to Plamil, traces of nuts were detected to the sixth decimal place. This is a very small, minimal value, which could also have been caused by a measurement error. The Irish Food Safety Authority of Ireland publicly apologized to Plamil for this incident! Despite this, Plamil has removed the "free from..." label from all its products.
Plamil has issued an official statement about the incident. It's also available in English on their website, where you can read the full story!
We at Schoko-Wunderland therefore expressly point out that the allergy filters serve as a non-binding shopping aid. Please never rely entirely on the filter, but always check the ingredients. Feel free to contact us at any time if anything is unclear or you have any questions. You can write directly to kim-rudolf.mayer@schoko-wunderland.de or use our contact form.
In summary: Plamil produces nut-free and peanut-free products, but has removed the “guaranteed free” label due to the test results!