Packs of pâté have been labelled with the wrong use by date and may be unsafe to eat.
Tesco is recalling three pâtés (Image: Getty)
Tesco has recalled three of its own-brand pâtés amid fears the products could pose a microbiological risk, making them unsafe to eat. Three items have been labelled with the wrong use-by date printed on them, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
These apply to products with a use by date of January 5 on packs of Tesco Coarse Farmhouse Pâté (170g); Tesco Coarse Ardennes Pâté (170g) and Tesco Smooth Chicken Liver Pâté (170g). The FSA said in its risk statement: “The products listed above have been labelled with an incorrect ‘use-by’ date printed on the pack. The products may pose a microbiological risk, making them unsafe to eat”.
The FSA said Tesco is recalling the products and notices will be displayed in shops selling them. It advised customers who bought any of the products not to eat them, but return them to the shop where they were purchased for a full refund.
Tesco apologised in a statement, adding that no other products from the company were affected by the recall. The supermarket giant said no receipt is required to return the products for a full refund.
Tesco’s statement reads: “If you have purchased the affected date code of the above product and have an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents, please return it to any Tesco store for a full refund. No receipt is required”.
It adds: “No other Tesco products are affected by this recall. We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused”.
Meanwhile, Tesco and Sainsbury’s will reveal whether it was a merry Christmas across their supermarket operations in festive trading updates next week.
Tesco says no receipt is required to return the products for a full refund (Image: Tesco)
The UK’s two biggest grocery chains have been battling it out to win over shoppers with their Christmas ad campaigns and beat off increasing competition from discounters Aldi and Lidl.
Figures from Tesco due on Thursday will show how it fared in the so-called golden quarter, having hiked its earnings guidance in October to between £2.9billion and £3.1bn.
Christmas trading will be crucial to Tesco meeting guidance. Chief Executive Ken Murphy has warned the industry remains “incredibly competitive” amid a price war in the sector.
The chain increased its share of the market to 28.3% in recent weeks, according to Worldpanel. It is looking to beat sales growth of 3.7% seen in the previous six-week Christmas period.
Sainsbury’s figures, expected on Friday, come after it recently increased its earnings outlook, saying it is now set for retail earnings of more than £1bnn after a better-than-expected half-year performance.
