Food Recall Warnings: Your Rights to Refunds & What to Do
Major UK supermarkets including M&S, Tesco and Lidl have issued urgent recalls on several food products this week due to serious health risks. If you’ve bought any of these items, you’re entitled to a full refund — here’s what you need to know.
What’s been recalled?
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned customers not to eat:
- Brady Family Crumb Irish Ham and Deluxe Honey Roast/Triple Oak Smoked Carved Irish Ham (Lidl and Tesco) — contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that can cause serious illness. All have a use-by date of 16 July 2026.
- M&S Food Truffle Gouda (150g) — also Listeria contamination risk. Use by 9 October 2026.
- Minton & Donello Organic White Orzo pasta — contains wheat (gluten) but this isn’t shown on the label, risking serious harm to people with coeliac disease or gluten allergies.
Primark has also recalled certain pepper mill models for safety reasons.
Why should you care?
Listeria can cause flu-like symptoms in most people, but for pregnant women, babies under a month old, over-65s and those with weakened immune systems, it can cause meningitis and other serious complications. The pasta recall is equally serious for anyone with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance — unlabelled allergens can trigger dangerous reactions.
What you should do
If you’ve bought any recalled products, do not eat them. Instead, return them to the store where you bought them for a full refund — no receipt needed. This is a consumer protection issue, and retailers are legally required to offer refunds on unsafe products.
Check your fridge and cupboards now. The recalls apply to specific batch codes and use-by dates, so check yours carefully against the details listed above.
Where to find more information
The Food Standards Agency website (www.food.gov.uk) has full details of all current recalls, including images to help you identify products. You can also sign up for email alerts about food recalls.
If you’ve already eaten any of these products and are experiencing symptoms, contact your GP or call NHS 111.