Bags of recalled lettuce for sale at a Coles store on the Gold Coast this morning. Picture: Dave Hunt
COLES has been savaged on social media by customers who claim the retailer sold them contaminated lettuce amid a national recall.
The supermarket chain’s Facebook page has been inundated with complaints from people who fell ill after eating packaged lettuce bought from its stores — including customers who were allegedly sold the products after the salmonella crisis broke yesterday afternoon.
Sydney mum Daniela Grech last night posted a receipt from a Coles in the city’s southwest, showing she was sold a 120g four leaf salad mix at 6.22pm — several hours into the recall.
“Up to an hour ago, this was still being sold ... Along with a large variety of all the other potentially contaminated products,” Ms Grech wrote. “Immediate, as of when?”
Coles recall: “Immediate, as of when?”Source:Facebook
The retailer’s social media moderator responded, saying Coles was “working closely with our stores to ensure that all affected products are removed from sale”.
Another customer, Kristy Elrington, said she had unwittingly eaten the suspect lettuce, also sold amid news of the salmonella recall broke.
“Why were recalled products still on the shelf in the Shepparton store after the national recall?” Ms Elrington posted on Coles’ Facebook page last night.
“I purchased 120g 4 leaf salad mix at 5:47pm (some of which is now in my stomach).”
Mark Eccleston posted an image of the four leaf mix he’d bought late yesterday afternoon, along with a receipt.
“Bought this at 5:36pm at Coles Greensborough after being assured by Coles staff it was not part of recall,” Mr Eccleston said.
“Good luck tomorrow with Dept of Health and ACCC explaining all these comments.”
After a Coles representative encouraged him to “return to the store with your receipt or the empty packaging for a full refund”, he remained unimpressed.
“Thanks, but it will probably cost me more than $2 to go and collect it,” he wrote.
“Coles might need the $2 if you get hammered by the ACCC ... What I’m most disturbed about is you were still selling the product long after DHHS in Victoria published a public notice and after it was being reported in media outlets nationally.”
Coles customers last night expressed concerns that loose leaf salad leaves may also be affected, with one reporting that they have seen staff open packets of Kotara lettuce and spinach leaves and tipped them into the supermarket trays.
But a company social media representative replied that loose leaf products were safe.
Those from Queensland and Western Australia, supposedly unaffected by the recall, also reported cases of illness.
Other customers demanded that they be refunded all the ingredients of dishes they prepared with the dodgy leaves, after being forced to throw their dinners in the bin.
It comes as new products are added to the nationwide recall list: Woolworths Gourmet Mix, 100g, Supa Salad ALH, 1kg, Clear Film Blend, Clear Film Spinach and Clear Film Cos.
At least 28 salmonella cases have been linked to the dodgy lettuce.Source:Herald Sun
Woolworths is facing a potential $4 million fine for allegedly selling faulty goods in an unrelated case; as the salmonella crisis unfolded yesterday, the retailer was defending itself in the Federal Court over an earlier recall.
The ACCC accuses Woolworths of selling a range of faulty products — including a deep fryer and drain cleaner — and failing to promptly alert authorities and issue recalls after it became aware of injuries caused by them, Fairfax reports.
The Victorian Health Department has linked at least 28 salmonella cases to prepacked lettuce distributed nationally by Tripod Farmers to retailers including Coles and Woolworths.
Anyone who has purchased any of the affected lettuce mix with a best-before date leading up to February 14 should return it to the store or throw it out.
Originally the outbreak was said to affect only the pre-packaged lettuce sold at supermarkets, but Lite n’ Easy customers are also warned the lettuce recall will affect some lunches in its menu this week.
It has dumped the lettuce supplier following the recall.
Sandwiches sold at 7-Eleven have also been recalled.
There are unconfirmed reports the affected lettuce has also been used in souvlaki and burgers made at a Victorian school canteen.
Tripod Farmers managing director Frank Ruffo said the company was working closely with health authorities.
“We are shocked at the test results because we put public safety first and foremost and comply with all Australian health and safety standards,” Mr Ruffo said in a statement.
A Coles spokeswoman said in a statement: “Coles took immediate steps to remove from sale a selection of prepacked lettuce products in Victoria, NSW, ACT, NT and SA as soon as we heard news of the cases of salmonella potentially linked to these products.”
RECALLED PRODUCTS
Use-by date up to and including February 14:
* Woolworths Baby Spinach 100g
* Woolworths Baby Rocket 100g
* Woolworths Gourmet Mix 100g
* Woolworths Fresh Cut Loose Baby Spinach 1kg
* Woolworths Fresh Cut Salad Loose Mesculin 1kg
* Wash N Toss Watercress 100g
* Wash N Toss Sorrel 50g
* Wash N Toss Baby Cos 100g
* Wash N Toss Baby Spinach 100g
* Wash N Toss Salad Mix 100g
* Wash N Toss Wild Rocket 100g
* Wash N Toss Kale 100g
* Coles Australian Baby Spinach 60g
* Coles Australian Baby Rocket 60g
* Coles Australian Baby Rocket 120g
* Coles Australian Spinach & Rocket 120g
* Coles Australian Baby Spinach 120g
* Coles Australian 4 Leaf Salad 120g
* Coles Australian 4 Leaf Salad 200g
* Supa Salad Supa salad 180g
* Supa Salad Green Coral 180g
* Supa Salad Supamix 1kg
* Supa Salad Spinach 1kg
* Supa Salad Rocket 1kg
* Supa Salad Baby Cos 1kg
* Supa Salad ALH 1kg
* Supa Salad Spinach 180g
* Clear Film Blend
* Clear Film Spinach
* Clear Film Baby Cos
dana.mccauley@news.com.au
0 nhận xét:
Đăng nhận xét