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Original poster

Alcohol in pudding not clearly displayed

608 replies

Purpledefector · 17/04/2024 06:49

I need a bit of a reality check - prefacing to say I'm 2.5 years sober - and not sure if this is clouding my judgement a bit.

I bought a dine in meal in Sainsbury's and the pudding was ' chocolate hazelnut pots' ' sponge biscuit layered with creamy chocolate hazelnut mascarpone and topped with hazelnuts and chocolate shavings'.

When I started to eat it I immediately noticed the very obvious taste of alcohol. Went and checked the packaging and listed within the ingredients was 'alcohol' but this wasn't mentioned or hinted at anywhere else on the product - in the picture or the describing words.

I was really surprised by this lack of transparency. Sainsbury's responded to my complaint really quickly - offered me a £10 gift card and said it would be fed back to the packaging department. I said that I felt that didn't reflect the seriousness of the issue and asked for it to be raised with a manager. It has been and their response is the same.

It's not sitting right with me, it feels like a huge error - and I want to take it further.

What's the general consensus?

OP posts:
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16
Magnastorm · 17/04/2024 20:43

neverendingcold · 17/04/2024 19:37

It's not clear

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It really is.

It literally says "contains alcohol" on the front of the packaging, listed in the ingredients and on the product page a 3rd time on the sainsbury's website.

If you miss all of those, you maybe want to pay a bit more attention to what you are buying and eating.

Magnastorm · 17/04/2024 20:42

I've just looked at the wine I've just opened.

The only indication that it contains alcohol is the % of it in tiny letters on the label.

If I email Asda, can I get a £10 voucher too?

Mich8 · 17/04/2024 20:35

user1745 · 17/04/2024 20:32

I don't think you were unreasonable OP. That isn't the kind of dessert I would usually expect to contain alcohol so I wouldn't usually check the ingredients.

It's different if it's something like a tiramisu which usually contains alcohol.

If you read the dessert description, it actually seems to be based on a tiramisu in some ways tbf.

user1745 · 17/04/2024 20:32

I don't think you were unreasonable OP. That isn't the kind of dessert I would usually expect to contain alcohol so I wouldn't usually check the ingredients.

It's different if it's something like a tiramisu which usually contains alcohol.

soupfiend · 17/04/2024 20:08

Growlybear83 · 17/04/2024 13:35

@marmiteoneverything Actually, consuming 2ml of Marsala wine would cause deep distress to my daughter and son in law as strict practising Muslims. I recognise this when I'm shopping for food thst they might eat when they are in our house and check all food labels carefully. It's not difficult to do.

Its a choice to be a practising Muslim isnt it, same as any religion

Merrymouse · 17/04/2024 20:00

neverendingcold · 17/04/2024 19:40

It's clearly some kind of a tiramasu rip off they should just own it and mention the booze

I suspect that is the problem - it’s not an identifiable alcohol like rum or Marsala that would sell the product.

soupfiend · 17/04/2024 19:49

mrsdineen2 · 17/04/2024 10:28

I'll be completely honest here - I've never scrutinised the ingredients list of a fruit shoot or a pack of pom bears specifically looking to ensure sure there's no vodka in there before giving to my kids, and I doubt you have either.

Edited
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You're not looking to avoid a particular ingredient though are you? So your question is somewhat irrelevant. Unless the poster you replied to has already said they avoid alcohol in products?

soupfiend · 17/04/2024 19:40

Purpledefector · 17/04/2024 09:18

But would you check a bottle of orange squash to see if it had nuts in it?
Actually I probably would if my child had an allergy, but my point is that it was so unexpected with the description.

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As I set out with my artificial sweetners example, yes, every single thing

Do you know what they crop up in, medicines a lot, jars of things which are savoury, some snack bars/snacks, Ive even seen them in crisps, cant remember which ones now, in the flavourings basically.

Ive just remembered they're in Gaviscon. And lemsip. Various cough mixtures. Vitamin supplements.

neverendingcold · 17/04/2024 19:40

It's clearly some kind of a tiramasu rip off they should just own it and mention the booze

kkloo · 17/04/2024 19:39

olivechuu · 17/04/2024 19:23

It’s clearly labelled “contains alcohol” on the front, in bold white text right above the use by date. Dunno how much clearer you want them to make it?

If something tastes clearly of alcohol I want that to literally be in the name of the product - or at the very least it should be in the description.
That's how clear I want it to be made.

The name was 'chocolate hazelnut pots'
And it was described as 'sponge biscuit layered with creamy chocolate hazelnut mascarpone and topped with hazelnuts and chocolate shavings'.

You shouldn't have to look all over the rest of the packet to see if there's any other strong flavours.

It wasn't clear at all.

neverendingcold · 17/04/2024 19:39

neverendingcold · 17/04/2024 19:37

It's not clear

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If they'd moved the teaspoon it would be clearer but much better to put it on the purple bit. That side is where they hide things like "serves 2" and "per pot" so you don't realise how unhealthy they are

neverendingcold · 17/04/2024 19:37

olivechuu · 17/04/2024 19:23

It’s clearly labelled “contains alcohol” on the front, in bold white text right above the use by date. Dunno how much clearer you want them to make it?

It's not clear

marmiteoneverything · 17/04/2024 19:35

PuddlesPityParty · 17/04/2024 17:04

This was very gracious! Not something you see often on here!

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takes bow with flourish

😁

kkloo · 17/04/2024 19:35

olivechuu · 17/04/2024 19:27

If it had banana clearly labelled both on the front and in the ingredients panel I’d probably expect to taste banana regardless of how they named the pie.

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Well what if it was the exact dessert the OP got and the only mention of banana on the front was 'contains bananas' where the tiny 'contains alcohol' writing is.
And when you tasted it it had a strong taste of bananas.

Wouldn't you think that that was completely bizarre and that the flavour was misrepresented for no apparent reason?

Alcohol in pudding not clearly displayed
DoreenonTill8 · 17/04/2024 19:28

TheSnakeCharmer · 17/04/2024 18:40

I agree with you OP. If it contains alcohol or the flavour of it, it should be written on the front of the packaging.
I would ask them to keep in touch with you regarding the outcome. You could also contact Alcohol Support groups to see if they have more clout. The amount of alcohol may well be negligible, but for someone who is tee total, a recovering alcoholic, a child or is not allowed alcohol for religious reasons, this could be upsetting and triggering.

'More clout'?! For what! People do really want spoon fed don't they! (And someone else to read the ingredients list of what they're being spoon fed!)

olivechuu · 17/04/2024 19:27

Kpo58 · 17/04/2024 19:24

No, but if it's a chocolate and hazelnut desert, I expect it to taste of that and not of something else. Would you be happy if you bought a pecan pie and then when you had warmed it up that it tasted of bananas instead? Probably not, it would be deceptive labeling on the packaging.

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If it had banana clearly labelled both on the front and in the ingredients panel I’d probably expect to taste banana regardless of how they named the pie.

Kpo58 · 17/04/2024 19:24

CelesteCunningham · 17/04/2024 19:08

So every ingredient should be in the name of the product?

Alcohol is listed in the ingredients.

Alcohol is on the front, unlike the many allergens included.

I agree I wouldn't expect the dessert to taste of booze and it doesn't sound very nice, but there's nothing misleading here. As you'd expect from a major supermarket and a tightly controlled ingredient!

Show quote history

No, but if it's a chocolate and hazelnut desert, I expect it to taste of that and not of something else. Would you be happy if you bought a pecan pie and then when you had warmed it up that it tasted of bananas instead? Probably not, it would be deceptive labeling on the packaging.

olivechuu · 17/04/2024 19:23

It’s clearly labelled “contains alcohol” on the front, in bold white text right above the use by date. Dunno how much clearer you want them to make it?

neverendingcold · 17/04/2024 19:21

ASighMadeOfStone · 17/04/2024 18:37

Beyond it saying "contains alcohol"
How much clearer does it need to be?

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Could be bigger and under the main name of the product

kkloo · 17/04/2024 19:18

CelesteCunningham · 17/04/2024 19:08

So every ingredient should be in the name of the product?

Alcohol is listed in the ingredients.

Alcohol is on the front, unlike the many allergens included.

I agree I wouldn't expect the dessert to taste of booze and it doesn't sound very nice, but there's nothing misleading here. As you'd expect from a major supermarket and a tightly controlled ingredient!

Show quote history

No not every ingredient, but if it tastes of alcohol then absolutely because the name tends to describe the flavour.

soupfiend · 17/04/2024 19:17

60andsomething · 17/04/2024 08:10

that is not true, there are many ways a child can be harmed by alcohol in a dessert. I have seen it, and that is exactly why it is a criminal offense to give them any

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What exactly have you seen?

CelesteCunningham · 17/04/2024 19:15

Merrymouse · 17/04/2024 19:14

I think it’s a bit like the difference between caramel and salted caramel - leaving aside other concerns it significantly changes the taste.

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Agreed (although I'm happy with both caramel and salted caramel Grin), it's bad marketing. But not misleading, the info is there for anyone who needs it.

Merrymouse · 17/04/2024 19:14

CelesteCunningham · 17/04/2024 19:08

So every ingredient should be in the name of the product?

Alcohol is listed in the ingredients.

Alcohol is on the front, unlike the many allergens included.

I agree I wouldn't expect the dessert to taste of booze and it doesn't sound very nice, but there's nothing misleading here. As you'd expect from a major supermarket and a tightly controlled ingredient!

Show quote history

I think it’s a bit like the difference between caramel and salted caramel - leaving aside other concerns it significantly changes the taste.

CelesteCunningham · 17/04/2024 19:08

Kpo58 · 17/04/2024 18:53

Having Contains Alcohol in tiny letters away from the description of the pudding doesn't make it clear. It should at the very least have been in the description of it.

Show quote history

So every ingredient should be in the name of the product?

Alcohol is listed in the ingredients.

Alcohol is on the front, unlike the many allergens included.

I agree I wouldn't expect the dessert to taste of booze and it doesn't sound very nice, but there's nothing misleading here. As you'd expect from a major supermarket and a tightly controlled ingredient!

WatermelonWaveclub · 17/04/2024 19:06

Purpledefector · 17/04/2024 18:34

Not really. I did miss the small
Print on the front of the package which was a bit daft of me. However I do still think that the description of the food is not reflective of what it actually was.
And I didn't make 'all that fuss'... I sent a message to Sainsbury's via fb messenger, wasn't happy with the reply so asked for it to be escalated. And did a quick post on here. Very unfussy really.

How awkward for you being such a mean spirited person

Show quote history

I had a look and to be fair I had to zoom in and hunt a bit to see the 'contains alcohol' words. So I would say it would be easily missed especially when the description didn't seem to suggest there was alcohol in it.

However, I think the response you had was right, really. Because the issue was the packaging and the way the information about alcohol wasn't very prominent and was quite camouflaged, imo.

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