Fresca
Banned in: EU
Reason: Contains Bromine
Est. Global Sales: $100 million-$150 million per year*
Fresca is a citrus-flavored beverage manufactured by Coca-Cola that may be tough to find if you live in the EU. Fresca includes bromine, an ingredient with a complicated history that has sparked debate in the food industry. It is commonly used in carbonated drinks to keep other components from separating. However, bromine has a long list of potential negative effects, which has resulted in a prohibition in the EU. Bromine is extremely irritating to human skin and can result in severe burns. It has the potential to harm interior tissue and mucus membranes if eaten. Obviously, the concentration in food is far lower than that required to burn pure bromine. It does, however, include hazards, including as increasing the likelihood of developing an underactive thyroid or an unstable heart rhythm. Some studies even suggest that it may contribute to the development of schizophrenia.
Fresca
M&M’s
Banned in: Sweden
Reason: Branding Conflict
Est. Global Sales: $989.7 million in 2021*
M&M’s has grown from being the new kid on the block in the chocolate world to being one of the world’s most well-known and consumed sweets in the last 80 years. M&M’s are available in a variety of exquisite flavors and are distributed in over 100 countries, but not in Sweden. ‘M’ by Mondelez is a chocolate-covered peanut snack that has been sold in Sweden since 1957, and because Mars’ M&M’s logo is so close to that of the Swedish candy, the local firm won, and M&M’s were later banned in Sweden.
M&M’s
