Worms in birthday party chocolates make children ill, family gets Rs 55,000 payout

New DelhiJun 22, 2026 11:26 AM IST Claiming that the chocolates were unsafe for consumption, the family issued a legal notice, demanding compensation and action against the manufacturer and retailer. (AI-generated image) After chocolates worth Rs 210 bought for a 10-year-old girl’s birthday party turned into a health scare as worms were allegedly discovered inside and several children fell ill, the consumer forum in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, has ordered the manufacturer and retailer to pay Rs 50,000 along with Rs 5,000 costs, observing that the presence of worms in packaged food was proof that it failed basic standards of quality. A bench of president G Ravi Sankar and member G Bala Sudha of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission was hearing a complaint filed by a minor girl, represented by her father Pandi Raghuram, against retailer CNR General Shopee and Gujarat-based Dazzy Products Private Limited, the manufacturer of Dazzy Stacy chocolates.The complaint stemmed from a birthday celebration held on January 19, 2022. “The presence of worms inside packed chocolates meant for human consumption is by itself a clear indication that the product was not of the quality, purity and standard which a consumer is entitled,” the commission said on June 5, holding the manufacturer primarily liable for the defective product. ‘Photos, medical records support claim’ While acknowledging that no laboratory analysis report had been produced, the commission held that consumer proceedings are summary in nature and need not always be governed by strict technical rules of evidence. It noted that the purchase of the chocolates was undisputed and that photographs and medical records supported the complainants’ claim that children who attended the birthday party subsequently required medical treatment. It further observed that the opposite parties had not effectively disputed the allegation that worms were found in the chocolates. There is no reason for parents to unnecessarily make allegations involving minor children merely for a claim of compensation, the commission said. According to the commission, once the complainants established the existence of worms in the chocolates, the burden shifted to the manufacturer to explain how such contamination occurred despite expected quality-control measures. Party takes unexpected turn According to the complaint, Raghuram purchased an 875-gram packet of Dazzy Stacy chocolates from a shop in Kovur on January 18, 2022. The chocolates were bought for distribution among children attending his daughter’s 10th birthday celebration the next day. The family alleged that while the chocolates were being distributed, some elders and children noticed worms inside them. Although consumption was stopped immediately, several children had already eaten the chocolates. Soon after, some children reportedly complained of vomiting, giddiness, fever and stomach pain. What was meant to be a memorable birthday celebration, the family alleged, quickly became a distressing experience as parents had to rush the children for medical attention. Four children, including the birthday girl, were taken to the Community Health Centre at Kovur the next day, January 20, 2022, where they received medical treatment and were kept under observation. According to the complainants, the children took about a week to recover completely. Family seeks Rs 18 lakh relief Claiming that the chocolates were unsafe for consumption and had been manufactured without maintaining proper quality standards, the family issued a legal notice on February 4, 2022, demanding compensation and action against the manufacturer and retailer. When the dispute remained unresolved, they approached the consumer commission on March 31, 2022. The complainants sought Rs 18 lakh as compensation and damages, Rs 1 lakh towards mental agony and Rs 5,000 towards litigation expenses. They argued that the contaminated chocolates had caused illness among child