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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

More of a WWYD than AIBU chicken in a vegan sandwich.

279 replies

6demandingchildren · 26/02/2022 16:50

My lovely step mum is moving and the family have got together to move her today, my dad went to a local bakery to get everyone lunch, my husband is the only vegetarian and my dad got him a chickpea coronation sandwich after double checking with the assistant my dad spent over £50 in there, after a few mouthfuls my husband came across a large chunk of chicken looked in the sandwich and there was small bits of chicken in it, I contacted them through Facebook messenger they have read my message that says

My father came to you early this afternoon and bought lots of food for the family, the coronation chickpea sandwich however contained chicken after the vegetarian who was eating it found out it also contained no chickpeas.
We still have half left with the packaging, how would you like to move forward with this issue?
Regards

But obviously won't get a reply now until Monday at the earliest.
What else can I do?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
yourestandingonmyneck · 27/02/2022 09:02

@CristinaYangismySpiritAnimal

Yeah the label even says chicken 🤷🏻‍♀️
@CristinaYangismySpiritAnimal where does it say this please?

I couldn't see this in the pic the Op posted?

yourestandingonmyneck · 27/02/2022 09:03

@tiredanddangerous

It says chicken on the label Confused
@tiredanddangerous where does it say this please? I can't see that on the picture of the label?
ImBurtMacklin · 27/02/2022 09:44

@yourestandingonmyneck MN has removed a picture. Previously there was an image showing the product was named “Coronation Chickenpea”

deadlanguage · 27/02/2022 10:13

@YoBeaches

If I've read this right. Then the box did say chicken and the sandwich contained chicken, so the error was in communication between dad and the server?

A refund is probably the best resolution.

It might be different if the wrong sandwich was in the wrong packet due to food standards and allergy control, but it doesn't sound like that's what happened here.

There was no communication problem, the sandwich was mis-labelled. It was a chicken sandwich which had been labelled the vegetarian sandwich that OP’s dad had correctly ordered. It was called coronation chickenpea, ie a vegetarian version of coronation chicken made with chickpeas. Chicken was not on the list of ingredients.
EeeICouldRipATissue · 27/02/2022 10:55

've read this right. Then the box did say chicken and the sandwich contained chicken, so the error was in communication between dad and the server?

No, I saw the photos before they were deleted due to being identifiable.
The name of the sandwich was coronation chickenpea (definitely a thing!) and the ingredients list was vegan.
No mention of chicken.
So if there was any in there, there shouldn't have been which could have been serious for an allergy sufferer, the bakery got lucky it wasn't worse if so

lljkk · 27/02/2022 11:46

Those of you who feel this was "very bad" and "this should never have been able to happen" -- do you think OP should name & shame the bakery on social media? If not, why not?

After all, according to PP, their actions could have had "fatal consequences", their mistake was "dangerous", "distressing", "life-threatening" ...

I would only use such strong words if I thought a business should be named & shamed publicly.

NuffSaidSam · 27/02/2022 11:57

@lljkk

Those of you who feel this was "very bad" and "this should never have been able to happen" -- do you think OP should name & shame the bakery on social media? If not, why not?

After all, according to PP, their actions could have had "fatal consequences", their mistake was "dangerous", "distressing", "life-threatening" ...

I would only use such strong words if I thought a business should be named & shamed publicly.

Not yet as they haven't been given a chance to respond.

If they take it seriously and change their systems, then no-one needs to be shamed, do they?

What benefit do you think a public shaming will achieve?

PriamFarrl · 27/02/2022 12:01

What this thread shows yet again is the random unfathomable hostility certain people have towards vegetarians and vegans.

I agree. It’s as if some people feel that vegetarians and vegans are just fussy eaters and this is like finding a bit of broccoli or carrot that you don’t like.
I can’t imagine that the comments would be the same had this involved someone who was Muslim or Jewish being given a sandwich and finding it had ham in it.

lljkk · 27/02/2022 12:05

I am not advocating a public shaming.
I wouldn't use such strong language unless I thought a public shaming was deserved.
I would not use such strong language unless I thought the actions were so reckless that there must be no regard for product quality & safety.

I don't think I would use such strong words and then be satisfied with a simple apology & a £5 off voucher.

i don't care what the bakery does, obviously. I am intrigued at the words that seem so strong to me, actually mean very different things to others. Maybe they don't actually feel that strongly about the matter as their words suggest to me?

BlanketsBanned · 27/02/2022 12:06

I cannot find any reference anywhere to coronation chickenpea, its either coronation chicken or coronation chickpea. Its a mislabelling and packaging issue, it could have had serious consequences which the staff need to be made aware of. Personally I wouldnt have bought anything with chicken in the title but I always check the ingredients list too but here there is no mention of chicken or substitute anywhere.

NuffSaidSam · 27/02/2022 12:12

@lljkk

I am not advocating a public shaming. I wouldn't use such strong language unless I thought a public shaming was deserved. I would not use such strong language unless I thought the actions were so reckless that there must be no regard for product quality & safety.

I don't think I would use such strong words and then be satisfied with a simple apology & a £5 off voucher.

i don't care what the bakery does, obviously. I am intrigued at the words that seem so strong to me, actually mean very different things to others. Maybe they don't actually feel that strongly about the matter as their words suggest to me?

It's a strange mindset to think that something is either not that bad/serious or deserves a public shaming.

Mislabeling food is a problem. People have died as a result. That's a fact.

But it's the result of human error, not some terrible cooperate plot to kill the allergic.

The company need to be made aware and need to change their practices so it doesn't happen again. If that's done, then no public shaming needed.

Things can be both dangerous/life threatening and the result of human error/an accident. It's not one or the other.

lljkk · 27/02/2022 12:53

So a voucher / apology is adequate remedy for "life-threatening" actions?

OnlyAFleshWound · 27/02/2022 14:04

@lljkk

Those of you who feel this was "very bad" and "this should never have been able to happen" -- do you think OP should name & shame the bakery on social media? If not, why not?

After all, according to PP, their actions could have had "fatal consequences", their mistake was "dangerous", "distressing", "life-threatening" ...

I would only use such strong words if I thought a business should be named & shamed publicly.

She's already done that. That was the purpose of posting the pictures.
Rosieposie101 · 27/02/2022 14:08

Do nothing??? I don't understand. I'd literally not even have sent the message?

Cakelover17 · 27/02/2022 16:39

@BlanketsBanned

I cannot find any reference anywhere to coronation chickenpea, its either coronation chicken or coronation chickpea. Its a mislabelling and packaging issue, it could have had serious consequences which the staff need to be made aware of. Personally I wouldnt have bought anything with chicken in the title but I always check the ingredients list too but here there is no mention of chicken or substitute anywhere.
The OP had another picture up that said ‘coronation chickenpea’ and had the items description, it also named the bakery though so the OP had it removed. The place she bought it from call it coronation chickenpea as a play on words.
MichaelAndEagle · 27/02/2022 16:47

@lljkk

So a voucher / apology is adequate remedy for "life-threatening" actions?
I think the most important outcome is that the establishment is aware of the issue and reviews its procedures accordingly.
NuffSaidSam · 27/02/2022 16:54

@lljkk

So a voucher / apology is adequate remedy for "life-threatening" actions?
The voucher, no.

But them understanding how serious it is, making a proper apology and changing their systems is of course an adequate remedy. What do you want done? The sandwich maker put in the stocks?

It was a mistake that could have serious consequences. They need to make sure that mistake doesn't happen again, but that's all.

MasterBeth · 27/02/2022 18:37

@lljkk

So a voucher / apology is adequate remedy for "life-threatening" actions?
No, clearly, the sandwich shop should be shut down and all the staff jailed because the OP’s husband got given the wrong sandwich, with no adverse effects. What a drama queen!
lljkk · 27/02/2022 20:44

hey I didn't label the bakery's actions 'dangerous' or say what bakery should or shouldn't do in response to OP's complaint. I don't care what the bakery does or doesn't do.

I wondered if people used the word 'dangerous' what that meant to the person who uses that word, in terms of what could be an adequate reply. To me it's a strong language to use, too strong to then accept apology / voucher as adequate response. Thanks to people who understood the question.

BlanketsBanned · 27/02/2022 20:51

Someone else could buy this and have a serious complication so OP is not a drama queen. just because her DH was ok someone else may not be so lucky.

NuffSaidSam · 27/02/2022 23:55

@lljkk

hey I didn't label the bakery's actions 'dangerous' or say what bakery should or shouldn't do in response to OP's complaint. I don't care what the bakery does or doesn't do.

I wondered if people used the word 'dangerous' what that meant to the person who uses that word, in terms of what could be an adequate reply. To me it's a strong language to use, too strong to then accept apology / voucher as adequate response. Thanks to people who understood the question.

But surely you understand that something can be both dangerous and unintentional/an accident?

It's not one or the other.

It is dangerous to sell mislabelled food. That is clear.

But being genuinely sorry and taking action so it doesn't happen again is all that needs to happen for something that was an oversight caused by human error.

Original poster
6demandingchildren · 28/02/2022 16:11

Just an update, as yet no reply from the bakery, I will be informing food standards agency and trading standards as someone suggested, just so they can hopefully amend their packaging practices.

OP posts:
Original poster
6demandingchildren · 28/02/2022 16:29

Ok after this message I posted on here I contacted them again to let them know and I'm gobsmacked.
Apparently the had no coronation chickenpea so they made a coronation chicken and placed the vegan label on it !!!

OP posts:
BlanketsBanned · 28/02/2022 16:32

That is really bad, you must tell the authorities, are they part of a chain or independent. They need some serious training, what is the manager doing about it.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 28/02/2022 16:34

@6demandingchildren

Ok after this message I posted on here I contacted them again to let them know and I'm gobsmacked. Apparently the had no coronation chickenpea so they made a coronation chicken and placed the vegan label on it !!!
That's awful. You need to report them to Trading Standards. I hope you have their admission in writing?