Several supermarkets have announced recalls for popular food items which could be unsafe for certain customers.
Asda, Tesco and B&M have all issued notices recently due to food and drink products containing allergens which are not displayed on the label. Asda has recalled its 800g Frozen Crispy Hash Browns as they mistakenly contain milk and wheat. This means those who have an intolerance or allergy to wheat or milk could become unwell if they eat it.
The product affected has the barcode 5052449493030 and the best before date of June 20 2025 (30/06/2025). If you have purchased this item you can return it to any Asda store - you don't need to have bought the item there - for a full refund. You will not need a receipt.
B&M has been forced to recall its Biscoff Biscuit Freak Shake because the drink contains milk protein within the vanilla milkshake powder. On the recall notice from the Foods Standards Agency, the ingredient is sodium caseinate which was stated on the ingredients list but was not highlighted as an allergen. This means it could be a possible health risk to those with allergens to dairy. However, the alert noted that the alert did not affect the Biscoff spread which was included in the product.
The recall affected all Biscoff Biscuit Freak Shake products with the best before date up to and including January 22 2024. Again, shoppers who have bought this item can return it to any B&M store without a receipt for a full refund.
Supermarket chain Tesco has pulled a batch of its Tesco 18 Cupcakes as some of the products have incorrect cakes in them which contain soya which is not declared as an ingredient on the packaging. This means the product would be unsafe for someone with a soya allergy or intolerance to eat. The products which have been recalled from Tesco have the batch code 24026 and have the best before date of February 27 2024 (27/02/24). Again, you can return the item without a receipt for a full refund at any Tesco store.
All three retailers have urged customers with these allergens to not consume the products. If you have any questions on any of the items you can contact the stores on the following numbers for further information:
- Asda - 0800 952 0101
- B&M - 0330 838 9000
- Tesco - 0800 505 555
What are recall notices?
Products can be recalled for a range of different reasons including safety – if a product displays risks for the customer – or quality – when the product isn't working as it should be. The Food Standards Agency is in charge of issuing alerts when there is a problem with a food product. The product can either be "withdrawn" which is where is it taken off the shelves or "recalled" which is when customers are asked to return it.
Food products need to be recalled if they are found to have been contaminated with pathogens that could cause food poisoning, or if plastic or metal has been found in the product due to manufacturing faults. Food items also need to be recalled if any allergen information is missing or incorrect.