The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) responded today to the Health Canada advisory of a voluntary recall of Tic Tac products, calling on the McGuinty government to recall the $5.5 million given for Ferrero Canada Limited last August for its Tic Tac product line.
The money was to be put towards a plant expansion in Brantford Ontario for a 'Confectionery Centre of Excellence'. CTF Ontario Director, Kevin Gaudet, said "there is nothing excellent about taxpayers' dollars funding failed and dangerous products. This corporate welfare grant leaves a bad taste in their mouth."
On 31 March 2008 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a warning advising that Ferrero Canada has issued a voluntary recall of certain flavours of Tic Tacs. The recall concerns small pieces of plastic packaging material that may be inside the Tic Tac container. The affected products, distributed nationally, include Tic Tac Fresh Mint and Orange flavours in 18-gram containers and 18-gram four-packs, as well as 18-gram containers of Spearmint flavour Tic Tacs. The CFIA says it is aware of only one consumer complaint associated with the products to date.
Ferrero Canada Limited is a subsidiary of Ferero USA Ltd, one of the world's largest sellers of confectionery products. Ferrero is a private company so its sales and profit numbers are not public. The $140 million Brantford plant opened in 2005.
Gaudet concluded, "This is just another example of the failures of corporate welfare."
