What would you expect from a food retailer that mislablled something and as a result you've eaten pork when you don't eat pork?

[AccidentallyPorked]

As title really.

I am veggie (have been for about 40 years) but even if I wasn't, I wouldn't eat pork or shellfish for religious reasons.

Bought a valentine's meal as a treat with an online shop and chose the options labelled as vegetarian with a green V for each course. As it was online I didn't read the packets! We then ate it also without reading the ingredients on the packet.

Then got an email the next day saying one option had actually contained pork and been mislabelled. I was given a refund for the exact cost of the product.

I have felt slightly queasy for days whenever I think about it - obviously I know it hasn't made me ill but the thought of eating pork turns my stomach. I never knowingly have before and it's really put me off buying ready prepared food again, usually I cook from scratch but we have been so busy and couldn't afford a meal out so just thought this would be a nice treat!

Would you complain?

I believe it was pork gelatine in one of the Valentines dine in puddings, it wasn’t a pork dish as such. It shouldn’t have happened though.

I mean, presumably you chose to become vegetarian because eating meat was against your values? And those values haven't been compromised - this wasn't something you chose to do - and fortunately you seem to have faired without any consequence. They've apologised, seems good enough to me.

As the company themselves contacted the OP I expect they (Food Standards) already know.

I think what they've already done is what most people would expect, you haven't sinned, you didn't know. I would be grateful they informed me and that I wasn't someone with a relevant food allergy.

I wouldn't expect anything. I would donate any refund/compensation to charity.

I’d expect a refund and a ten pound voucher.

Its a pretty bad mistake for people who have principled objections to eating that food.

No harm in reporting it anyway.

If something was mistakenly labelled as being free of allergens, it could have resulted in loss of lives.

I think people just don’t understand how disgusting it is for veggies to eat meat. If you were contacted to be told you had eaten food with human flesh in it, would a refund seem enough to you?

A refund or no refund wouldn't reverse time and make the food uneaten.

What would be enough? Would a gift voucher make up for feeding you human flesh?

If so, how much?

If not, what would make up for that? Should someone lose their job? Go to prison?

I am not a vegetarian but I do not eat certain meats and would feel incredibly upset about it ,
so yes I would complain.

Ooph. They were lucky it wasn’t about anaphylaxis. Or even intolerance. If my DS had days of diarrhoea as a result of mislabelling, as happened when we weren’t sufficiently careful, a refund would not have been enough!

You do know you’re talking rubbish don’t you?
The enzyme used to break down protein is used on all protein, it cannot discern between meat, tofu, eggs etc. there’s myriad foods high in protein suitable for vegetarians.
https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/protein/how-to-get-protein-without-the-meat

What was the meal he was expecting?

A pub gave me chicken pie once by accident instead of veggie. They refunded our entire meal, free round of drinks and voucher to come back for another meal on the house. I didn't kick up a fuss at all and was really polite (just quite tearful). This is the level of response I'd expect anywhere tbh - it's a pretty monumental mistake.

Someone else mentioned this on the M&S valentines meals thread. I think it's really bad. As pps have said, unfortunately no amount of money will change what's happened but M&S should make a gesture such as donating some money to charity as an apology.

That's true.

It’s a shame YOU didn’t bother checking your info. before disagreeing with what I wrote.

There is no one single enzyme involved in digesting proteins but many different ones.

Maybe when you’ve reached 60, you’ll learn a bit more about gut health or at least how to use Google?

How much pork was actually in it when you didn’t even notice?
Can’t have been much when you ate it and still thought it was vegetarian.

I am vegetarian by intent, and I constantly look for the V on products. Occasionally, I get it wrong. Recently, I bought some macaroni that had microscopic pieces of ham, which I inadvertently ate. I felt weird for a few days, but I have moved on.

I don’t eat meat and still get caught out by sweet things with gelatine. The most recent some high protein mousse things that were really nice … till I realised. I don’t know why they have to use gelatine surely they’d sell more using veg alternatives.

Anyway OP it is bad I agree, but unless you were actually ill, I would accept the apology.

I think I ordered the same meal deal, it was the advertisement on the website that was incorrect, the food packaging itself was labelled correctly and specifically stated it included gelatine (but can totally see why that would be missed, given it was a dessert you literally took out the box to serve, no reading of cooking instructions etc. It was a chocolate and pistachio dessert so not obvious at all that it contained pork gelatine.

I received the email on Friday in advance of my order arriving, which I presume is when they’d identified their website error.

Not sure what else they could do… a money off voucher or refund the whole meal deal, but that wouldn’t change the position in any meaningful way for those that had already consumed the product.

I think it's especially unfortunate that it was pork of all things (given that it is avoided not only by vegetarians and vegans but also by many people adhering to religious dietary laws), and I think I would expect the retailer to show a bit of additional contrition on account of this.

@TheKittenswithMittens , Macaroni cheese sometimes does contain meat and the cheese won't necessarily be vegetarian, so that one as you say was your mistake.

@FlickaFlacka , ...it was the advertisement on the website that was incorrect, the food packaging itself was labelled correctly and specifically stated it included gelatine...
In which case, a refund is enough IMO

...so not obvious at all that it contained pork gelatine.
Desserts often contain gelatine. It's usually in thinks like panna cotta and mousse.

I'd still report it, and it's not good enough, but if the product labelling was correct, but the advert wasn't then the retailer should offer some compensation for the inconvenience and disappointment.

It wasn't "the advert" as such - but even if it had been an advert, if it said the advertised product was vegetarian when it wasn't I think that would be even worse!

It was the actual online shopping website. When you clicked into the various options available, this item was listed as "suitable for vegetarians" and had a big green V next to it, right by where you click "add to trolley".

I would have read the packaging had it been something you cook/heat, as per a previous comment. But as it was a chilled product to be served chilled, I just plonked them on plates and thought no more of it at the time.