Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Live bug in my pre packed sandwich - AIBU?

40 replies

Kitcat159 · 02/05/2018 14:22

Last Friday I bought a duck wrap from tescos.
Being a fussy eater I always open the wrap and take out things like lettuce. Doing this I saw a hard shell with legs roll out.
On further investigation it was a fairly large bug that was still wriggling.
Totally put off I took pics and put the whole thing in a box and complained to head office.
After a bit of googling in found it is a stink bug.
Some of which release cyanide when threatened or attacked.
Looking back at the bug, it is now up and moving around the box. Must have warmed up after being in the chilled.
I went back to head office and expressed my concerns being 6 months pregnant and potentially consuming a cyanide filled bug.
They asked me to take the bug, sandwich and wrapper to my local store to be sent off,which I have done, and they are treating this as "an extremely serious complaint".

They gave me a 7.50 voucher (2.50 for the sandwich and 5 goodwill)
AIBU saying that this is not sufficient and I want it investigated further?

OP posts:
EspressoPatronum · 02/05/2018 14:27

Surely it's being sent off for further investigation?

Feel for you though, that's disgusting!

Roaring20s · 02/05/2018 14:29

I’m sure with the right kind of help you will be able to get over this traumatic event.

Bombardier25966 · 02/05/2018 14:31

What is sufficient, how much compo are you after?

Stink bugs are very rare in the UK. The likelihood of it being a) a stink bug and b) the variant that contains cyanide is around zero.

You're overreacting.

IHeartMaryLennox · 02/05/2018 14:32

It's not nice but it absolutely would not have harmed you, even though you are pregnant.

They eat them in Mexico.

Bombardier25966 · 02/05/2018 14:34

Feel for you though, that's disgusting!

If you ever eat fruit or veg, you'll have consumed a fair few bugs in your life. No harm done.

user1483387154 · 02/05/2018 14:35

They have said they will investigate it. Not sure what else you are wanting from them

wormery · 02/05/2018 14:38

I expect they will investigate it further, what else would you like them to do, you could complain to environmental health if you want peace of mind.

PoisonousSmurf · 02/05/2018 14:38

Money. Isn't that what complainers want?

mummyhaschangedhername · 02/05/2018 14:39

Ewwwww ... horrible OP. Do you have photos?

As for compensation, I'm not sure how much your were expecting? £5 seems reasonable enough. But really gross.

Off to google stink bug.

IHeartMaryLennox · 02/05/2018 14:39

Hmm yes what figure do you have in mind then OP?

pinkdelight · 02/05/2018 14:43

You bought a sandwich not a lottery ticket. The bug is hideous but am sure if you'd eaten it you'd be none the wiser. As it is, you didn't eat it, got reimbursed x3 and they're going to investigate and hopefully feed back to you on action taken. Not sure why you'd expect any more than that?

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 02/05/2018 14:45

Would you want one in your sandwich, Bomb

MissionItsPossible · 02/05/2018 14:48

Post the photos OP

Avasarala · 02/05/2018 14:49

What to do you want them to give you? You havnt suffered any harm.

The fact is, not matter how controlled the production area is, bugs are tiny and get in places. It's one of those things we all have to file under "sometimes that happens" and move on.

It's not a huge hygiene issue, it's not a huge failing on their part. It's an unfortunate incident that occasionally happens with mass produced food. In a perfect world, it wouldn't but oh well.

It's horrible when you find something, but really... what so you expect to get? You're trying to money grab for no reason.

OlennasWimple · 02/05/2018 14:50

That is disgusting

I'm used to finding live bugs in food here, as it's so hot and the food standards are far below what we have in the UK, and it's always grim - yesterday I had to throw out a bag of pasta as soon as I opened it as there were bugs in it. Bleurgh

A tenner voucher plus refund wouldn't have gone amiss TBH - I got that when I returned a pint of milk to Tesco that was within date but completely gone off

Bombardier25966 · 02/05/2018 14:55

Would you want one in your sandwich, Bomb

I doubt anyone wants a bug in their sandwich. But if it happened I'd just write it off as one of those things. No one hurt, no need for drama.

deptfordgirl · 02/05/2018 14:58

Haven't read it all but this has made me feel very sick!don't think I'll buy pre made sandwiches again..

SamHeughansLeftEyebrow · 02/05/2018 14:59

Should've just gone straight to the gutter press with your bug in a box and pulled some sad faces if you wanted compo.

I wouldn't consciously choose to eat one, but shield bugs are pretty innocuous creatures really. Over dramatising it as 'cyanide filled' is a little extreme and just makes you sound slightly hysterical.

Felicitycity · 02/05/2018 15:01

How horrible for the bug

CharlieAustinsMagicHat · 02/05/2018 15:03

Just a bit of extra protein.

SnotGoblin · 02/05/2018 15:03

Better a live bug than the chemicals to ensure there wasn’t one. I know which is more palatable and which is more likely to harm a foetus.

OneStepSideways · 02/05/2018 15:06

I found a live caterpillar in a Tesco sandwich once. It was on the lettuce (which I'd removed). I avoid ready made sandwiches and salads now!

Original poster
Kitcat159 · 02/05/2018 15:13

I like how some of you are saying it's not a stink bug even though you haven't seen it! It is 100% a stink bug.

Live bug in my pre packed sandwich - AIBU?
OP posts:
MereDintofPandiculation · 02/05/2018 15:36

That looks like a shield bug, or which there are many. See for example
www.britishbugs.org.uk/heteroptera/Acanthosomatidae/elasmucha_grisea.html

It's undesirable but not inconceivable that a plant eating bug might make it through to your sandwich. And even apple pips contain cyanide.

IHeartMaryLennox · 02/05/2018 15:38

I am not convinced that is a stink bug.