Have there been any nationwide peanut butter recalls in 2025?

Checked on December 9, 2025
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Executive summary

Yes — 2025 saw multiple nationwide or broad U.S. recalls tied to Ritz peanut-butter cracker sandwiches. Mondelēz announced a nationwide July recall of four carton sizes of RITZ Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches (8-, 20- and 40-pack cartons and a 20‑pack variety carton) and later narrow, limited voluntary actions in November/December affecting about 70 cases in eight states due to mislabeled individual packs [1] [2].

1. The headline: a nationwide July recall, then a limited December action

Federal notices show Mondelēz first issued a voluntary, nationwide recall in July 2025 covering four carton sizes of RITZ Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches sold "available at retail stores nationwide" because individually wrapped packs inside cartons might be mislabeled as the cheese variety [1]. A later, separate limited voluntary recall in late November/early December affected roughly 70 cases in eight states — New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Alabama — taken “out of an abundance of caution” after the company found film packaging defects [2] [3].

2. What the recalls were about: mislabeled inner packs and undeclared peanuts

Regulators and the company said the issue was not contamination but mislabeling: individually wrapped peanut-butter sandwiches inside cartons could be mislabeled as cheese, creating an undeclared‑peanut risk for people with allergies. The company traced the problem to potential defects in packaging film supplied to its plant [1] [4].

3. Scope and risk: nationwide exposure vs. a narrow distribution later

The July recall was described as affecting products that were sold nationwide and provided a list of affected carton sizes and "Best When Used By" dates [1] [5]. Subsequent notices clarified that the limited December recall was small — about 70 cases — and distributed to a handful of states [2] [6]. Health officials warned anyone with a peanut allergy not to eat the affected products because of the risk of serious, life‑threatening allergic reactions [1] [5].

4. Reported harm and public messaging

Across the notices and news coverage, Mondelēz and the FDA reported no confirmed illnesses tied to these labeling errors at the time of the announcements; the recalls were framed as precautionary actions to prevent potential allergic reactions [1] [5]. Media outlets repeatedly stressed that outer cartons were generally labeled correctly, but the inner individually wrapped packs could be mislabeled, which could mislead consumers relying on single‑serve labels [1] [7].

5. Why this matters: allergies, packaging suppliers and trust

Allergen mislabeling can be immediately dangerous: even trace peanut exposure can trigger anaphylaxis in susceptible people, which is why regulators treat undeclared allergen issues seriously [5] [4]. The company attributed the problem to a supplier error in film packaging rolls — an operational supply‑chain failure rather than a food‑safety contamination — highlighting how upstream packaging problems can translate into public‑health recalls [1].

6. Discrepancies and evolving coverage across sources

Coverage varies: some outlets emphasize the July nationwide recall (Food Network, CBS, UPI) while December stories focus on a limited 70‑case recall in eight states (FDA post, Today, NBC New York), and later December pieces reference the narrow action as not expanding the prior recall [1] [2] [3]. Newsweek and other outlets noted both events and detailed affected UPCs and best‑by ranges, underscoring how the recall story evolved as the company and regulators posted updates [8] [9].

7. Practical takeaways for consumers

If you own RITZ Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwich products check the FDA recall notices and your product’s carton size, UPC and "Best When Used By" dates against the recall grids posted by the company and FDA; consumers with peanut allergies should discard or return any matched products and can contact Mondelēz consumer relations for guidance [1] [2]. Retailers named in several reports included large national chains, and media urged consumers to verify inner pack labels even when outer cartons appear correct [10] [11].

Limitations and gaps: available sources do not mention long‑term regulatory penalties or whether Mondelēz changed supplier contracts as a result; they also do not provide post‑recall follow‑up data on whether any illnesses later emerged beyond the initial reports (not found in current reporting).

Want to dive deeper?
Which brands issued peanut butter recalls in the U.S. in 2025 and why?
Were any 2025 peanut butter recalls linked to salmonella or Listeria contamination?
How can consumers check if their peanut butter was included in a 2025 recall?
What actions did the FDA and USDA take regarding 2025 peanut butter recalls?
Have there been class-action lawsuits or compensation claims from 2025 peanut butter recalls?