2 days ago
Co-op urgently recalls popular food item as shoppers warned 'do not eat'
The Food Standards Agency has issued an allergy alert
Shoppers are being urged not to eat a particular savoury snack sold at Co-op. An allergen mistake means that the product may pose a possible health risk to some consumers.
The supermarket has issued a recall for its Co-op 4 Mini Pork & Pickle Pies as they were found to contain milk, an ingredient that has not been included on the list of ingredients.
It means that the pies are unsuitable for those who suffer from an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents, with refunds and potential replacements being offered to customers.
An allergy alert posted by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has shared that the supermarket's recall affects a pack size of 200g, with the affected use by dates being August 13, August 14 and August 16.
Co-op said in its recall notice: "Co-op 4 Mini Pork & Pickle Pies are being recalled because they contain milk which is not mentioned on the label. This means the product is a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to milk."
According to the FSA alert, the supermarket has been advised to contact the relevant allergy support organisation that will tell its members about the recall.
The retailer has also since issued point-of-sale notices to its customers in stores that sell the affected product. These explain all the details of the recall and what to do if the pies have been purchased.
Shoppers who have purchased the affected packs of pies are being advised not to eat them, but to instead return them to the store they were bought from for a refund, or a replacement depending on availability.
If the pies were purchased online, shoppers can receive a refund by calling 0330 041 7737.
For further information, customers can contact Co-ops Careline on 0800 0686 727 or email via Product issues or returns at
Speaking of its decision to recall its pork pies, Co-op said: We apologise for any inconvenience caused."
Allergy alerts are issued by the food watchdog when there is a problem with a food item that means it should not be sold, leading to it either being 'withdrawn' or 'recalled.'
This could be due to to multiple reasons that includes the food item posing a risk to consumers due to allergy labelling that is either missing or incorrect, or any other food allergy risk.
In other recall news affecting Scotland, we previously reported that Fife-based firm Sarah Gray's had to issue a recall for several jars of strawberry and prosecco/champagne jams as they contained undeclared sulphites.
Meanwhile, in Ireland, shoppers have been issued a warning not to eat a selection of salad bags due to the detection of Listeria monocytogenes.
The recall affected bags of mixed leaves from McCormack Family Farms and Egan's Baby Spinach that can be found across Ireland at Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and Dunnes Stores.
