FAQ

The herbs used in Ricola products are cultivated using natural methods. However, in order to meet the strict Bio Suisse guidelines, a farm must use organic methods in all areas (cereals, fruit production, animal husbandry, etc.). Not all of our farmers are able to make this considerable effort, mainly for financial reasons. More than two-thirds of Ricola's herb farmers already meet the Bio Suisse requirements.

Information for vegetarians:

Ricola herbal specialties are suitable for vegetarians. All ingredients are listed on the product packaging.

Information for vegans:

Ricola products includes many herbal drops that can be consumed by vegans. However, some herbal drops contain honey, and are therefore not suitable for vegans. All ingredients are listed on the product packaging.

All our products are based on the well established and tested Ricola herb blend, and do contain essential oils as natural flavorings. We recommend that you discuss this topic with your homeopathist or your pharmacist. For detailed ingredient information, please visit our product list page.

Ricola herbal drops may sometimes change color or develop a white layer after the pack is opened due to exposure to air or high humidity, which can cause the natural sugars or isomalt to crystallize. This is completely normal and harmless. As long as the drops are within their expiration date and stored properly, they are safe to eat.

As Ricola is primarily a production facility, we adhere to strict hygiene regulations in accordance with Swissmedic. We therefore do not provide tours to the public.

However, you can visit our experience shop in Laufen and our various herb gardens across Switzerland. A list of our herb gardens can be found here.

In principle, Ricola products are safe to use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. For your own safety, however, we recommend that you consult your doctor in advance to rule out any allergies or intolerances to certain ingredients in our products. All the ingredients are listed on the packaging.

The cube-shaped Ricola Original Herb herbal drops are our traditional product. Their shape and recipe have hardly changed since 1940. A lot of Ricola lovers still continue to enjoy this distinctly cube shaped drop, so we keep them to continue to cherish how Ricola was founded over 80 years ago. However, we understand that some consumers prefer an oval-shaped bonbon. That's why the sugar-free version of our original product and many other products are available in an oval shape.

The name Ricola is derived from the name of the owner family, Richterich, and the name of the town in Switzerland where Ricola products were invented and are still produced today -  Laufen. So take the first two letters of RIchterich COmpany LAufen - and you have RICOLA!

We have never tested our products on animals and our products are not intended for animal consumption. If you have a pet that has ingested our cough drops, please contact your veterinarian. Ricola products do not contain xylitol, a sweetener that has been linked to health problems in pets.

Please visit the Products page of our website, then select the flavor you are interested in and you will find nutritional information on that page.

Most Ricola drops are sugar-free. To ensure that the drops still have a sweet taste, they contain sweeteners. Our sugar-free products are sweetened with sucralose, acesulfame-K, or steviol glycosides.

All Ricola products are considered gluten-free according to the Codex international food standards and are therefore suitable for people with gluten intolerance.In some countries, however, we are required by law to label ingredients as allergens if they have a gluten-containing origin, even if they no longer contain the allergen. You can be assured that none of our products contain gluten.

All Ricola products are considered lactose-free according to the Swiss Foodstuff Ordinance. This means they are suitable for people with lactose intolerance. If you have specific dietary concerns, we recommend consulting your healthcare provider.

All Ricola herbal specialties produced in Laufen are kosher and halal.

Aspartame is used as a sweetener in some of our products because of its round flavor and because it does not damage teeth.

Ricola closely follows the discussion on artificial sweeteners and complies with the legal requirements of legislators and the recommendations of public international and national expert groups.Of course, we also aim to develop and use natural, calorie-reducing sweeteners that are good for the teeth. In the UK, for example, we sweeten several varieties of our sugar-free herbal products with steviol glycosides (stevia).

Ricola offers products with and without sugar. As an alternative, we also recommend our herbal sweets with sugar, such as our Ricola Original Herb bonbons.

In all markets where Ricola products are marketed, Ricola products comply with all requirements regarding GMOs, if such requirements exist in the respective country. Based on these requirements Ricola products are considered GMO-free.

The term "polyols", which we use in the nutrition values table in compliance with the declaration requirements for food products, refers to the sugar substitutes.

In our sugar-free products, we use isomalt as a sugar substitute. Isomalt (or sorbitol and sorbitol syrup) belongs to a group of substances known as "polyols/polyalcohols" (sugar alcohols), and we are required by law to label them as "polyalcohols". Polyalcohols have no "alcohol-like" effects. Because isomalt has mild sweetening properties, it must be declared as a sweetener. However, most of the sweet taste in the drops comes from the sweeteners (sucralose / acesulfame-K). Isomalt isn't actually that sweet, and must be used in combination with another sweetener (e.g. sucralose) to give the product the sweet taste that consumers enjoy.

All Ricola products are free of nuts and peanuts.

Ricola is not classified as organic. The herbs used in Ricola products are cultivated using natural methods and align with high standards for sustainability. While not all of our farmers are certified organic, many follow practices that meet strict guidelines like those of Bio Suisse. Ricola remains committed to supporting sustainable and responsible farming methods wherever possible.

The brown color in some of our products is made from sucrose (beet sugar), under very specific conditions. We can confirm that the brown color does not contain 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI). Only the colors Ammonia Caramel (E 150c) and Sulphite Ammonia Caramel (E 150d) contain 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) and we do not use these two colors in our Ricola products.

Our products are available in leading retailers. If you happen to be in Switzerland, you can visit our flagship store in Laufen, Switzerland!