Vegans Need To Know About This Chocolate Recall

According to the Washington Post, Americans eat about 12 pounds of chocolate per person per year, with the global cocoa and chocolate market valued at more than $46 billion in 2021 — and projected to shoot up to nearly $68 billion by 2029 (via Fortune Business Insights).

Traditionally made from both the solids and the fat of the cocoa bean, plus sugar or other sweeteners, chocolate is often a vegan product. And while choosing dark chocolate is a safe bet, The Spruce Eats cautions eaters who strictly follow the plant-based diet to thoroughly read the ingredients list before selecting a chocolate treat, as many manufacturers add dairy products (like milk solids) to their confections.

Of course, there is no accounting for manufacturing errors that unintentionally mix these ingredients into chocolates that are labeled vegan, as happened recently at a plant that makes chocolates sold in TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and other popular stores, prompting a recall.

If you regularly shop at stores like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, or Homesense (which are all owned by the same parent company TJX, according to House Beautiful) then you might be familiar with chocolate companies Pimlico Confectioners and Keats London. And if you recently picked up a box of vegan sweets made by the two brands — not just because they sounded good, but because it's important to you that they're fully vegan — you might want to check the packaging. TJX just recalled some of these chocolates for possibly containing undeclared milk.

According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), which published the recall announcement May 1, TJX has recalled Pimlico Confectioners Vegan Fine Hazelnut Truffles, Keats London Vegan Hazelnut Dark Chocolate, and Keats London Vegan Irish Cream Truffles. Although prominently labeled both vegan and dairy free, the chocolates may contain undeclared milk due to a manufacturing error at one of the production facilities. According to the announcement, one illness has been reported in connection to the chocolates.

The recall affects Pimlico Hazelnut Truffles sold in 3.88-ounce green plastic packages; Keats London Hazelnut Dark Chocolate sold in a 4.93-ounce round green plastic packages; and Keats London Irish Cream Truffles sold in a 4.93-ounce round blue plastic packages. Customers concerned about the undeclared milk can return the chocolates to their place of purchase for a full refund.