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AIBU?

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AIBU for wanting compensation from Morissons after getting ill from BBQ?

295 replies

TammiesBackHurts · 15/08/2026 19:43

Had a BBQ at ours last evening. It was me, DH, our two DC, my MIL and FIL, my sister and her partner. DH popped into Morrisons at about 2:30 to get the food, including a packet of their own-brand burgers.

We started the BBQ at 6:15 and ate at about 7ish. DH was cooking while I was getting everything else ready, so I wasn’t really watching the BBQ. Luckily… it was sweltering next to it. Got my burger straight off the thing, nothing wrong with it, just that normal brown edges and that bright pink in the middle just like you get from a BBQ burger. At about 10 I started feeling really unwell and was vomiting during the night. It’s now 7pm the day after and I still feel awful. This morning I looked at the burger packet and noticed the eat by date was 14/08/26, which is the exact day we ate them.

What is making me suspicious is that it was Morrisons own-brand food, so presumably Morrisons are responsible for making sure the date printed on their packaging is correct. If the date is wrong, how are customers supposed to know whether the food is actually safe? I relied on the date when I ate it. Nobody else who ate the burgers seems to have become ill, but I don’t think that necessarily rules them out because people react differently and I may have eaten more than everyone else. I still have the packaging and the receipt from Morrisons, so I have proof of exactly what I bought and when.

I’m considering contacting Morrisons and asking them to investigate the batch and explain why I’ve become ill after eating something on the actual use-by date. I’m also wondering whether I should be asking for compensation, because if their date was incorrect then surely that’s quite a serious food safety issue? AIBU?

OP posts:
Olderbutt · 15/08/2026 23:16

wonderingwhatsnext · 15/08/2026 19:47

Bright pink in the middle = not cooked sufficiently to eradicate the harmful bacteria.

This!

SapphireSeptember · 15/08/2026 23:15

Burgers shouldn't be pink in the middle! I use a meat thermometer when cooking meat products, it should reach 75°C in the middle, otherwise it goes back in the oven.

likeitshard · 15/08/2026 23:15

Burgers are not like steak. They need to be cooked through. Plus it’s your responsibility to check products before you eat/ cook them. If it smelt/ looked off you could have taken it back for a refund but if you ate it it’s at your own risk.

Happyjoe · 15/08/2026 23:14

ClairDeLaLune · 15/08/2026 23:12

What about steak tartare? That is raw mince is it not? How come that’s ok but a pink burger isn’t?

Because it's chopped and served immediately afaik (I am veggie!)

ClairDeLaLune · 15/08/2026 23:14

ClairDeLaLune · 15/08/2026 23:12

What about steak tartare? That is raw mince is it not? How come that’s ok but a pink burger isn’t?

Oops I see this was answered above!

Happyjoe · 15/08/2026 23:13

Got my burger straight off the thing, nothing wrong with it, just that normal brown edges and that bright pink in the middle just like you get from a BBQ burger.

The fact you felt the need to describe this so much makes me wonder if you already know that you are probably responsible! No, burgers, like all minced up meat needs to be cooked through. I've never seen a burger with bright pink in the midde!

ClairDeLaLune · 15/08/2026 23:12

What about steak tartare? That is raw mince is it not? How come that’s ok but a pink burger isn’t?

Pistachiocake · 15/08/2026 23:12

Team187 · 15/08/2026 19:46

Why was it pink in the middle? That might answer what went wrong. Minced beef needs to be cooked right through.

I was thinking this was a wind-up. Not cooked properly, and BBQs are a contentious subject right now.

Timetochillnow · 15/08/2026 23:02

Hi Tammy you say you still have the wrapper - have a look at the cooking instructions and I’m pretty sure they will say cook until juices run clear and no pink remains

Mumtobabyhavoc · 15/08/2026 22:54

MaIeficent · 15/08/2026 22:44

You had a raw bugger. It's not like a medium rare steak.

Oh, dear. 😮
Is that a British term for bareback?

And, what has that to do with BBQ? 🤔

Mumtobabyhavoc · 15/08/2026 22:51

HexInductionHour · 15/08/2026 22:34

Why can people safely eat steak tartare then ? 🤢🤢🤢🤢

Because it is very cold and chopped just before serving and same with carpaccio.

CruelsummerTS · 15/08/2026 22:51

MaIeficent · 15/08/2026 22:44

You had a raw bugger. It's not like a medium rare steak.

Ouch

Doubtanny · 15/08/2026 22:50

Impressive number of bites

Morepositivemum · 15/08/2026 22:49

You ate on the date it should have been eaten by?

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 15/08/2026 22:46

I was at a BBQ and a young chap drank 10 pints of lager and was sick in a hedge. He hadn't eaten anything, and so I told him he should ask the Off Licence or Brewery for compensation as clearly the lager must have been off.

Yogaandchocolate · 15/08/2026 22:45

HexInductionHour · 15/08/2026 22:34

Why can people safely eat steak tartare then ? 🤢🤢🤢🤢

Clue’s in the name - high quality steak meat is chopped just before serving. Pre ground mince can have all sorts in it so must be cooked properly

HexInductionHour · 15/08/2026 22:45

@AtlasCedar thank you for explaining that and @Portmore

Portmore · 15/08/2026 22:45

HexInductionHour · 15/08/2026 22:34

Why can people safely eat steak tartare then ? 🤢🤢🤢🤢

Essentially because there is less surface area exposed to air in order for bacterial growth

When meat is minced to make it into a burger the surface area to volume ratio is hundreds of times greater & therefore the surface area exposed to bacteria & oxygen is vastly increased leading to rapidly multiplying bacteria.

Not sure if you wanted the full scientific explanation.

In short steak tartare is fine to be eaten as long as the meat has been prepared & stored correctly.

Burgers, mince or anything processed you need to coon all the way through

MaIeficent · 15/08/2026 22:45

Burger ffs

MaIeficent · 15/08/2026 22:44

You had a raw bugger. It's not like a medium rare steak.

AtlasCedar · 15/08/2026 22:44

HexInductionHour · 15/08/2026 22:34

Why can people safely eat steak tartare then ? 🤢🤢🤢🤢

So for steak tartare to be sold it has to be minced just before being served. The inside of a steak hasn’t ever seen air or surfaces (where the bacteria live) before it’s minced because it’s surrounded by other muscle/meat in its original animal form. As soon as it’s minced it’s exposed to air and bacteria can begin to breed. So it’s served quickly to reduce the risks.

Burgers were ground and packed days before they were cooked. Not only has oxygen got on the outside but it’s all been mixed into the meat when it was ground up and shaped. So bacteria has been mixed into the centre of the meat where it breeds away until it’s either cooked away or eaten and made you sick.

Howlerhog · 15/08/2026 22:43

Minasama · 15/08/2026 22:21

I did not know this - thank you!

Yup you can eat a slab of meat that’s pink in side as long as it’s cooked on the outside, but as soon as you mince it up and / or make it into burgers it has to be cooked through totally. Theres no such thing as a ‘rare’ burger.

hcee19 · 15/08/2026 22:43

Perhaps the burger you ate wasn't cooked throughly. How will compensation make you feel any better? You have to prove to them, they have to prove nothing. You have lost before you start. This suing culture is ridiculous

AtlasCedar · 15/08/2026 22:41

It was pink in the middle. That means undercooked. User error and your cook is at fault.

Grendel7 · 15/08/2026 22:40

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