Frequently asked questions about HARIBO

The different components of a mixed item are added to a mixing container in a defined ratio ahead of the packaging machine. This container then mixes the product pieces, which are subsequently packaged by weight as a random mix. This type of random mixing makes deviations in the mix ratio unavoidable. For this reason and others, all HARIBO products feature a large window into the packaging, so that you can always see the make-up of the mix ratio before making a purchase.

To a large degree, our foreign subsidiaries offer their own assortment, due primarily to the fact that our customers’ flavour preferences vary widely from one country to the next. For example, Scandinavians prefer comparably strong liquorice, whilst France has a soft spot for more colourful gelatine products. There’s even a ‘liquorice equator’ inside Germany: in northern Germany they enjoy and consume a lot more liquorice than in the south, where fruit gummies happen to be a favourite.

HARIBO offers a wide variety of different fruit gummies and liquorice and foam products. Just about every HARIBO fan has a favourite product and usually a special favourite within the numerous HARIBO mixes, which makes us very happy, of course. While we’d love to be able to provide each customer with their very own bag full of their favourite flavours, retailers would never have enough shelf space for all these packages, nor would HARIBO have the technical capacities to implement production in a sensible way. We kindly ask for your understanding.

We regret to inform you that we are unable to produce custom-made products in small batches. Requests such as these would interfere significantly with our production process, and we would no longer be able to fulfil the large demand for our standard assortment. We kindly ask for your understanding.

Our products that come from HARIBO Turkey have ‘Halal Product’ certification and are produced in a factory in Hadımköy, Istanbul. HARIBO products produced in Turkey are sold to many countries of the world that consume ‘Halal Products’, including South Africa. When you see the phrase ‘Made in Turkey – Turkish Made’ on the back of the HARIBO package, you can consume HARIBO confectionery with peace of mind by making sure that the product is halal.

Natural colouring foodstuffs such as fruit and plant extracts (e.g. safflower, spirulina and radish) provide the Goldbears and many other HARIBO products with their colourful appearances.

The HARIBO items containing gelatine available in Germany are primarily produced with pork skin gelatine. For a few years now, HARIBO also offers HALAL products made from beef gelatin.

Unfortunately, because we use ingredients containing wheat in some HARIBO products, we cannot rule out entirely the possibility that our products or the ingredients used to produce them have come into contact with products containing gluten. Our products may therefore contain traces of gluten. Please always consult the ingredients list on the product packaging. Allergens that are subject to allergen labelling guidelines appear in bold in the ingredients list.

Unfortunately, because we use dairy as an ingredient in some HARIBO products, we cannot rule out entirely the possibility that our products or the ingredients used to produce them have come into contact with products containing dairy. Our products may therefore contain traces of dairy (including lactose). Please always consult the ingredients list on the product packaging. Allergens that are subject to allergen labelling guidelines appear in bold in the ingredients list.

Our corporate responsibility (CR) strategy ranges from employees and society to the environment and products. Through our materiality process, we have made sure that we address all topics which are especially important to our stakeholders such as consumers, customers (distribution partners) and employees. Our holding company, based in Grafschaft, ensures company-wide implementation of all measures and the monitoring of their progress.

HARIBO has been a family business since 1920 and is now managed in its third generation. As a family business, we think and act with a focus not on quarters, but on the long term. HARIBO is also committed to the social environment to which it belongs as a matter of course. We view ourselves as a corporate citizen, which is why our company contributes to institutions and projects which benefit from our participation over the long term. Our shareholders are also socially involved in a whole host of ways through their foundations.

Gelatine is a high-quality protein and an important component of many HARIBO products. Our company’s policy towards animal welfare is thus clear: when it comes to selecting our suppliers, we insist on the humane treatment of animals. We demand that our direct suppliers check and assess their suppliers on the basis of our animal welfare requirements – and audit them accordingly. If any violations are identified, we reserve the right to take action, which may include termination of the business relationship. Because gelatine only accounts for around five per cent of the total carcass weight, we don’t have a great deal of influence. Still, it’s important to us to raise awareness of animal welfare within the entire gelatine supply chain across all industries, which is why we maintain close contact with Gelatine Manufacturers of Europe (GME). An association initiative has been founded in large part at our behest to improve animal welfare standards on the basis of the five freedoms of the World Organisation for Animal Health.

HARIBO pays special attention to its packaging. Food packaging needs to protect its contents from contamination and maintain freshness and shelf life, as required by food regulations. Based on legal requirements and our own quality standards, there is currently no sensible alternative to our product packaging. We tend to use a single packaging material (monomaterial): polypropylene (PP). This plastic is relatively easy to recycle, a process which requires adequate disposal structures and procedures as well as separation by consumers. Composites, which are more difficult to recycle, and multipack packaging are an absolute exception at HARIBO. As of now, 90 per cent of all HARIBO product packaging can be recycled, which has been certified by the renowned cyclos-HTP testing institute.

We offer some of our products in mini bags because consumers ask for them – for example, for controlled portions or use at events or in hotels/restaurants. Controlled portions can promote moderate consumption, particularly for children. Our mini bags are also 100 per cent recyclable.

High-quality sugar has always been a key component of our products. It helps maintain the unmistakable shape and contributes to the taste experience. HARIBO has been producing sweets since 1920. Sweets provide moments of indulgence in daily life. Whilst they’re not a staple food, they are there to be enjoyed.

We’re always assessing the potential of alternative packaging materials. But for the time being, in terms of food regulations and our quality standards, there are no alternatives to polypropylene (PP), which is virtually the only material we use and technically 100 per cent recyclable.

Reducing our CO2 emissions is one of the central objectives of our CR strategy. HARIBO pursues this aim in a variety of ways: energy management, reduced packaging, modern production facilities and optimisation of our logistics.