In a major blow to Nestlé Bangladesh, the Safe Food Court on Monday ordered the immediate withdrawal of certain lots of KitKat chocolate from the market, declaring them substandard and unsafe for consumers.
The order will remain in force until the case is fully disposed of.
The court directed the authorities concerned to remove the disputed KitKat chocolate from store shelves by January 21, 2026, following an application by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Food Safety Inspector Kamrul Hasan.
In his petition, Kamrul Hasan alleged that Nestlé Bangladesh’s KitKat chocolate is an unregistered and unauthorised product, describing it as substandard, adulterated and a “serious threat to public health”. He urged the court to order the withdrawal and destruction of the product and to temporarily suspend its import, marketing and sale in Bangladesh until it secures proper clearance and a licence from the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI).
The case has already triggered strong legal action. On November 14, the Safe Food Court issued arrest warrants against Nestlé Bangladesh Managing Director Deepal Abeywickrema and Public Policy Manager Riasad Zaman for allegedly marketing substandard KitKat chocolate. The warrants were issued following a DSCC application, and both officials are currently out on bail.
Meanwhile, a separate case under the Food Safety Act is also underway against Md Mozammel Hossain, owner of Sumaiya Enterprise of Chawkbazar, Dhaka, who also imports KitKat.
Laboratory tests conducted during the investigation reportedly confirmed the allegations of poor quality.
According to reports from the Public Health Food Laboratory and the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, the chocolate failed to meet required standards. Milk solids, which should be at least 12-14 per cent, were found to be only 9.31 per cent, while milk fat content measured just 1.23 per cent against the required minimum of 2.5-3.5 per cent.
Following these findings, a supplementary charge sheet was submitted, prompting the court to issue arrest warrants against senior Nestlé Bangladesh officials – a move that has sent shockwaves through the country’s food and consumer goods sector.