It started out as a sweet trend. Chocolate bars filled with pistachio cream and wrapped in gold foil began appearing on TikTok and Instagram, sparking a wave of excitement from London to Dublin, Manchester to Birmingham. The treats looked indulgent, almost luxurious — rich milk chocolate layered with nutty fillings, crunchy pastry, and Middle Eastern flair. People called them “Dubai-style” chocolates.
But behind the viral videos and influencer hype, there’s now a far more serious conversation unfolding. The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a public warning about some of these imported sweets — and it’s not about taste. It’s about safety.
Some Dubai-style chocolate products currently being sold in the UK don’t comply with basic food labelling laws. And for people with food allergies, that could have life-threatening consequences.
From TikTok to Your Local Shop
The popularity of Dubai-style chocolate didn’t grow slowly — it exploded. Videos of the bright green pistachio centre being cut open went viral. Posts tagged with “Dubai chocolate” racked up tens of millions of views. Within months, demand was surging not only in the UAE, where the trend began, but across Europe and North America.
In the UK, major retailers took notice. Supermarkets began introducing their own versions. Specialty dessert stores cashed in. Independent shops and online sellers started importing the original bars directly — sometimes legally, sometimes not.
And that’s where the problems began.
What the FSA Is Actually Saying
In a detailed statement, the FSA made it clear: not all Dubai-style chocolate being sold in the UK meets the legal requirements for food labelling.
Some imported bars — especially those sold through online marketplaces or independent stores — are missing crucial information:
No full list of ingredients
Allergens not highlighted
Labels in foreign languages only
Missing best-before dates or weight
No name or address for the responsible business or importer
In short, some of these products were never intended for UK sale. They’ve arrived here through informal supply chains, and consumers have no easy way of knowing what they’re eating.
That’s not just a technical issue. For people with allergies to milk, nuts, sesame, or soya, it could mean biting into something that triggers a serious reaction — without warning.
“If You’re Not Sure, Don’t Buy It”
That’s the message from the FSA’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Robin May. He put it bluntly:
“The vast majority of food in the UK is safe. But some imported Dubai-style chocolate products don’t meet our standards and could be a food safety risk, especially for consumers with allergies.”
May urged shoppers to stick with trusted retailers — the ones you’d usually rely on for your weekly groceries — because they’re more likely to stock properly labelled, UK-compliant goods. He also encouraged people to report suspicious products to their local authority.
What’s Actually Inside These Chocolates?
Not all Dubai-style chocolates are the same. The general format includes milk chocolate on the outside, and a filling of pistachio paste, cream, or sometimes tahini. Some versions also have layers of filo pastry or crushed biscuit.
The ingredients most likely to pose allergy risks include:
Milk (in the chocolate and cream filling)
Nuts, especially pistachios
Soya lecithin, often used as an emulsifier
Wheat, from pastry or biscuit layers
Sesame, particularly in tahini blends
In compliant products, these allergens must be clearly stated and highlighted — either in bold, underlined, or a contrasting colour. In the imported versions under scrutiny, this step is often skipped entirely.
That puts people at risk, especially those with serious allergies who rely on that information to stay safe.
What Else Could Be Going Wrong?
This isn’t just about allergens. According to food inspectors in Germany and France, some samples of imported Dubai-style chocolate have raised other red flags:
They’ve contained unauthorised colourings not permitted in the EU or UK
Some were found to have foreign fats that don’t qualify as chocolate under food regulations
Others contained mould toxins, or aflatoxins, at unsafe levels
In a few cases, inspectors identified undeclared ingredients, meaning what’s on the label didn’t match what was in the bar
These issues may sound technical, but they boil down to this: you can’t always trust what’s inside the wrapper. And that’s exactly why UK law demands clear, truthful, and complete food labelling — especially on imported goods.
How to Spot a Safe Product
So what should you be looking for when shopping? According to the FSA, any product made for UK sale must have:
A label in English
A complete ingredient list, in descending order
Any of the 14 major allergens clearly highlighted
The net weight of the product
A best-before or use-by date
The name and address of the UK or EU-based business responsible for it — or, if it’s from elsewhere, the name and address of the importer
If any of this is missing, vague, or written in a language you can’t read, it’s safer to walk away.
For Retailers: The Legal Responsibility Is Yours
The FSA has also reminded shop owners and online sellers that they are legally responsible for the food they offer to UK consumers. That means checking that labels are correct, allergens are visible, and that the product is genuinely fit for sale in the British market.
If they fail to do that? They could face fines, product seizures, or legal action — especially if a consumer gets hurt.
The Bigger Picture: What This Trend Tells Us
The Dubai-style chocolate boom highlights a growing challenge for food regulators. A trend can now go global in a matter of days, with shoppers demanding new products long before the supply chain is ready to meet the rules.
Social media fuels the excitement. Retailers rush to capitalise. Small importers cut corners to keep up. And suddenly, a chocolate bar that was perfectly safe in Dubai becomes a potential risk in London, Manchester, or Glasgow.
It’s not that Dubai-style chocolate is inherently unsafe. The problem is that some of the products entering the UK are not being properly adapted or regulated for this market.
So What Should You Do?
Here’s the simple advice for shoppers:
Stick to supermarkets and trusted sellers — avoid buying trending foods from unknown online vendors or poorly stocked corner shops
Always check the label — if it’s not in English, or doesn’t look right, don’t take the risk
Be especially careful if you have food allergies or intolerances
If something seems off, report it — contact your local council’s trading standards team
Tell others — especially people in your family or community who might be tempted to try these products without checking first
What Happens Next?
The FSA is now conducting a full survey of Dubai-style chocolate on sale across the UK. They’re sampling products, testing ingredients, and tracking supply routes to understand how widespread the issue really is.
They’ve also opened discussions with industry bodies, importers, and allergy support charities to raise awareness and begin tackling the problem at the root.
This isn’t the first time a trendy imported product has sparked a safety scare, and it won’t be the last. But it’s a reminder of the vital role that regulation, transparency, and consumer vigilance play in keeping our food system safe.
Final Thought
Dubai-style chocolate may be sweet, stylish, and social-media friendly — but not all that glitters is safe to eat. As with all things in food retail, what matters most isn’t the packaging or the popularity — it’s the label.
And if that label isn’t right?
You’re better off leaving it on the shelf.
