Facua denounces Aldi, Dia and Lidl for fraud in the cream of their roscones de Reyes

The Facua-Consumidores en Acción association has denounced Aldi, Lidl and Dia, as well as the manufacturers Zampabollos and Asercelim for the sale of roscones de Reyes that are fraudulently presented as filled with cream, when in fact they contain other substances.

These practices, remember from Facua, incur in misleading advertising and violate European regulations on labeling.

The three supermarket chains denounced resort to the misleading claim of placing signs in their establishments to present as filled with “cream” roscones whose labeling indicates otherwise. For its part, the Andalusian chain MAS sells a roscón made by Zampabollos, from the Huelva town of Almonte, which has also been denounced. In its box it is presented as “deep-frozen roscón stuffed with cream”. But in reality, its list of ingredients shows that it is a mixture of cream and palm kernel fat.

The second manufacturer denounced is Aserceli, domiciled in the Humanes de Madrid municipality. Its roscón, marketed in chains such as Carrefour, El Corte Inglés and Hipercor, indicates on its box in large characters that it is filled with “cream”. However, the labeling reveals that it is cream mixed with a preparation of palm and palm kernel fats.

The complaints have been filed with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and various regional authorities for consumer protection, including those of the company headquarters. The communities have the power to open disciplinary proceedings against companies for incurring in violations of consumer protection regulations derived from non-compliance with the Unfair Competition Law and Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 on food information that must be provided to the consumer .

The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (Aesan), belonging to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, recalls that the labeling, presentation and advertising of Roscones de Reyes must be “clear, especially with regard to the name and lists of ingredients, in order not to mislead the consumer about the characteristics of the product”. The Aesan concludes, therefore, that “only those in which all the filling is cream can use the name Roscón de Reyes de/con crema”.