CLAIM
A video clip which shows boxes full of Snickers chocolate bar being thrown into a pit and burnt was widely shared on Facebook.
The claim shared with the video says that the chocolate bar has been banned in 65 countries and was being destroyed because it causes cancer.
TRUE OR FALSE?
The claim is false. The video is actually a 2016 news report by ‘Euro News’. The video could be traced back to the channel’s official YouTube account and shows chocolate bars being destroyed after bits of plastic were found in it.
WHAT WE FOUND OUT
Since the logo of the news channel ‘Euro news’ was visible on top of the video, we looked for a news report by the channel which spoke about chocolate bars being destroyed in Gaza.
When we found the original report we realised that the video has not been tampered with in any way. The claim shared with it, however, is misleading.
WHAT’S THE REALITY?
In 2016, Mars, the makers of Snickers, recalled Mars bars and Snickers bars from 55 countries after plastic was found in the chocolate. The news report shows authorities in Gaza destroying chocolate bars following the recall.
A consumer protection bureau officer in Gaza can be heard saying in the video that Snickers and Mars chocolate bars were destroyed after working with the products’ importers and distributors.
According to the officer, there was an order for them to be recalled from the market.
SNICKERS ARABIA ISSUES CLARIFICATION
Following the rumours and misinformation on social media, Snickers Arabia issued a clarification and said, “The video which was taken in Gaza is two years old, and is related to a voluntary preventive recall caused by a quality issue impacting a very limited quantity of products.”
(With inputs from Euro News)
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