A consumer in China has sparked widespread discussion online after claiming she discovered a bright blue potato chip inside a packet of Lay’s crisps, raising concerns over the product’s safety.
The woman shared her experience on social media on July 12, saying she noticed the unusual blue chip while eating the snack. Although other chips in the packet appeared normal and her family members who had eaten some had not experienced any health issues, she said she no longer felt safe consuming the product.
Following the viral post, Lay’s customer service contacted the consumer, apologised for the incident and requested that the suspicious chip be returned for laboratory examination to determine its composition and origin.
According to the consumer, the company asked her to keep half of the normal chips and half of the blue chip before sending the affected product back for investigation.
Lay’s also reportedly offered to send her a complimentary box of its products as compensation, but she declined. Instead, she said she wanted an explanation for how the blue chip appeared, confirmation that it was safe, and a refund for the purchase.
The incident quickly attracted attention online, with some netizens speculating that the blue chip could have been a quality control marker used during the manufacturing process and accidentally left inside the packaging. However, the company has not confirmed this theory.
As of the latest update, Lay’s has not publicly announced the results of its investigation.
Lay’s, owned by PepsiCo, entered the Chinese market in 1993 and remains the country’s leading potato chip brand. According to Euromonitor International, the company held an estimated 50.7 per cent share of China’s potato chip market in 2024.
