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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
hugasaurus · 15/08/2026 20:36

God bless my DH and his meat thermometer.

Raraskirtsagogo · 15/08/2026 20:36

LittleMissClutter · 15/08/2026 20:34

Oh yes I laughed at that too but didn't realise it was the OP! 😂
Still, probably the funniest thing about this thread is the amount of people posting serious answers.

I know. I'm giggling into my gin....

pouletvous · 15/08/2026 20:36

Compensation for what?

thwy may refund the cost of the burgers

Bacarditropicalfizz · 15/08/2026 20:36

Good god.

honeybeetheoneandonly · 15/08/2026 20:37

Steak tartare and pink beef burgers only from reputable places and never Dave's backyard BBQ.

BurntBroccoli · 15/08/2026 20:39

You should never eat burgers that are pink in the middle.

Entirely your own fault but hope you get better soon.

LittleMissClutter · 15/08/2026 20:40

hugasaurus · 15/08/2026 20:36

God bless my DH and his meat thermometer.

I'd never eat a faggot without one.

trumpredcard · 15/08/2026 20:40

TY78910 · 15/08/2026 19:51

You can’t prove that it was the burgers. But either way, just because I love a retail complaint. Can you prove that you have followed the below cooking instructions exactly:

Air Fry - From Chilled. Based on air-fryer capacity number of pieces minimum 1.8L - 1 piece minimum 3.8L - 2 pieces Pre-heat air fryer to 170°C. Remove all packaging. Place burgers in basket, spread evenly in a single layer. Cook for 14-15 minutes, turn halfway. Allow to stand for 1 minute.
Warning
Caution do not overfill the air fryer.; Barbecue - From Chilled. Follow the above instructions then place immediately onto a pre-heated barbecue for a further 5 minutes to finish off.; Cooking Instructions - General. Cooking appliances vary. These instructions are given as a guide. Ensure product is thoroughly cooked and that no pink colour remains. Do not reheat.
Safety
Store raw meat covered at the bottom of the fridge.
Use separate kitchen utensils and surfaces for raw meat and poultry or wash thoroughly after use. Keep raw meat and poultry separate from cooked foods, Wash hands after handling raw meat and poultry.; Grill - From Chilled. Pre-heat grill on high heat, remove all packaging and place the burgers under the pre-heated grill on the middle shelf for 12-14 minutes, turning halfway through.

^ I very much doubt it from your description. In which case - no case. The most they will do for you is a refund as a gesture of goodwill.

Hot damn! you just stopped the OP's fun in its tracks.

hugasaurus · 15/08/2026 20:42

LittleMissClutter · 15/08/2026 20:40

I'd never eat a faggot without one.

I’d never eat one with one either.

Raraskirtsagogo · 15/08/2026 20:42

I only eat vegetarian burgers. I autoclave them just to be on the safe side.

HelenaWaiting · 15/08/2026 20:42

TammiesBackHurts · 15/08/2026 20:04

Ok, thank you, I never knew that was a sign of being undercooked. I mean I did, but not with BBQ’d burgers. Will check on DH’s cooking next time

The majority of bugs causing stomach upsets are viral, rather than from contaminated food. But yes, do invest in a meat thermometer. It will save you from future discomfort.

SquirrelGG · 15/08/2026 20:43

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.

This. I've had many BBQs in my years and have never a burger which was pink in the middle. Also if it really was food poisoning you wouldn't be the only person who got sick.

Bridesmaidorexfriend · 15/08/2026 20:43

This site is so boring now. So many stupid fake posts

Delphiniumandlupins · 15/08/2026 20:43

I think you're lucky that no more of your family were ill if all the burgers were similarly cooked. I'm not sure why you would immediately assume that the Use By or Best Before date was suspect. Hopefully you feel better soon.

Spiffingdarling88 · 15/08/2026 20:44

TammiesBackHurts · 15/08/2026 19:57

How was I supposed to know that? I thought BBQ meat always was like that, I’ve had BBQ’s in the past and they were like that too. Are you sure that’s the problem?

Maybe invest in a thermometer to check the temperature of meat in future.

Raraskirtsagogo · 15/08/2026 20:45

Bridesmaidorexfriend · 15/08/2026 20:43

This site is so boring now. So many stupid fake posts

To be fair, some of their other posts were were quite amusing.

PyongyangKipperbang · 15/08/2026 20:47

I am afraid I agree with the others that if the other burgers were similarly undercooked and no one else got ill then it was either something else you ate or you have a bug and soon so will the rest of the family.

As an aside, in France I have never had a burger that wasnt a little bit pink in the middle. I was pregnant once and asked for it to be well done. The chef looked at me like I had suggested taking a machete to his granny!

ElectoralControversy · 15/08/2026 20:47

There's a hard core of chicken-washers on here every time the topic comes up, so why not pink-burger-eaters?

Been paranoid about burgers ever since I read Toxin by Robin Cook as a teenager 🤢

Vaxtable · 15/08/2026 20:47

You ate uncooked burger what do you expect. Although if it’s only you and others ate it I can’t see it being the meat

cocoonscriticupgrading · 15/08/2026 20:48

ToKittyornottoKitty · 15/08/2026 20:34

If you’d carried on reading (which you clearly did) then you’d have seen she stated the time.

Clearly nothing. Your assumptions do you no favours. Clearly, I did not read the time. So yah boo sucks to you. Either way, somebody is admitting to having a BBQ even after we were all being told on the news and in the press (in the days well before the alarm), not to do so. Undercooked meat is not the fault of the store.

LasVegass · 15/08/2026 20:48

Why did you keep the packaging? Do you think it could be from handling that?

JulietteHasAGun · 15/08/2026 20:49

No way would I eat a pink burger. I say that as someone who is happy having a bloody steak.

Iocanepowder · 15/08/2026 20:49

Even without the raw burger, that’s a massive load of overthinking about the date.

PickAChew · 15/08/2026 20:50

TammiesBackHurts · 15/08/2026 19:57

How was I supposed to know that? I thought BBQ meat always was like that, I’ve had BBQ’s in the past and they were like that too. Are you sure that’s the problem?

That's because lots of people don't cook food properly on a barbecue.

TheStepboardisfullofbitteroddos · 15/08/2026 20:54

Burgers are absolutely fine to be pink in the middle if you've minced the beef and made the burgers yourself within the last 12hours.

Absolutely not normal to eat supermarket burgers pink!