A 15-year-old Florida girl with a peanut allergy died last month after she ate what she believed to be regular Chips Ahoy! Chewy cookies.
Alexi Ryann Stafford, of Weston, was at a friend's house when she grabbed the cookie while the re-sealable top of the package was open — making the color of the box the only immediate indicator of the type of cookie.
What she thought to be regular Chewy cookies turned out be a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup variant. Realizing her mistake, she went home immediately, according to a Facebook post by her mother.
It was too late — she died within 90 minutes of eating the cookie despite two Epipens administered by her family, according to her Facebook post. Alexi was buried on July 2.
Red packaging is used for all variants of chewy Chips Ahoy! Cookies. To indicate the flavor of the cookies, there is a graphic next to the Chips Ahoy! logo. When the re-sealable opening is rolled back and stuck open, you cannot see the label on top that indicates whether the cookies have peanuts.
In response to a Twitter user asking them to change their packaging because "you can't tell the difference when the product is pulled back," Chips Ahoy! defended its packaging.
"Chewy Chips Ahoy! made w/ Reese's Peanut Butter Cups packaging clearly shows that it contains peanuts through words and visuals," the cookie brand Tweeted. "Package color indicates Chewy, Chunky, or Original."
We take allergens very seriously. Chewy Chips Ahoy! made w/ Reese's Peanut Butter Cups packaging clearly shows that it contains peanuts through words and visuals. Package color indicates Chewy, Chunky, or Original. Consumers should always read the label for allergy information.— Chips Ahoy! (@ChipsAhoy) July 15, 2018
We take allergens very seriously. Chewy Chips Ahoy! made w/ Reese's Peanut Butter Cups packaging clearly shows that it contains peanuts through words and visuals. Package color indicates Chewy, Chunky, or Original. Consumers should always read the label for allergy information.
Chips Ahoy! has used the same Tweet in response to several users asking them to change their packaging.
We take allergens very seriously. Chewy Chips Ahoy! made w/ Reese's Peanut Butter Cups packaging clearly shows that it contains peanuts through words and visuals. Package color indicates Chewy, Chunky, or Original. Consumers should always read the label for allergy information.— Chips Ahoy! (@ChipsAhoy) July 14, 2018
We take allergens very seriously. Chewy Chips Ahoy! made w/ Reese's Peanut Butter Cups packaging clearly shows that it contains peanuts through words and visuals. Package color indicates Chewy, Chunky, or Original. Consumers should always read the label for allergy information.
You are not going to improve public opinion of the Chips Ahoy! brand with this sort of response. The food allergy community needs to know @nabisco is willing to hold itself accountable. We all need to work together, not pass the blame.— Peanut Envy (@Peanut_Envy) July 15, 2018
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Explore all your optionsYou are not going to improve public opinion of the Chips Ahoy! brand with this sort of response. The food allergy community needs to know @nabisco is willing to hold itself accountable. We all need to work together, not pass the blame.