Major bargain chain urgently pulls tea from its shelves after it’s found to contain INSECTS
A MAJOR bargain chain has urgently recalled popular tea products after they were found to contain insects.
Popular discount retailer TK Maxx and sister company Homesense have ordered to pull several flavours of Kintra Foods Organic Premium Leaf Teas off the shelves.
The Food Standards Agency issued a recall notice stating the contamination could be “unsafe to consume”, Nottinghamshire Live reports.
It is understood that several batches of three varieties of the popular tea have been immediately recalled.
These items were on sale between April and June of this year.
Food Standards Agen said: “TK Maxx and Homesense are recalling selected batches of Kintra Foods Organic Premium Leaf Teas because some of these products have been found to contain insects.”
“If you have bought any of the above products do not consume them. Instead, return them to any TK Maxx or Home Sense store for a full refund.”
Tk Maxx and Homesense said in a statement: “We are recalling selected batches of the above products due to a food safety risk. Some products from these batches have been found to contain insects.
“The products were on sale in our stores between April 2024 and June 2024.
“Please stop using it immediately and return to any TK Maxx or Homesense store for a full refund.”
Batch codes of the products being recalled
THE affected products are:
Calm & Relax (60g), Batch codes – 6057, 6071, 6118, 6126 and 6207
Chamomile (40g), Batch codes – 5887 and 6111
Sleepy (40g), Batch Codes – 6058, 6102 and 6125
What is a product recall?
Many safety notices for products are issued as a precautionary measure, letting consumers know an item may be dangerous.
In more serious cases, manufacturers or retailers issue a recall, warning customers not to use the product and asking them to return it.
As a general rule, if a recall involves a branded product, the manufacturer would usually have lead responsibility for the recall action.
But it’s often left up to retailers to notify customers when products could put them at risk.
A company will sometimes issue a recall to limit the number of complaints.
What are my rights to a refund?
If you return a recalled product, your rights to a refund depend on whether the fault makes it unsafe.
Sometimes, companies will repair the product, for example, by fitting a new part instead of offering a refund.
However, if a fault makes a product unsafe to use or is too difficult to fix, you still have the right to claim a refund.
Natalie Hitchins, head of Which? home products and services, said: “This recall due to a potential safety issue means many parents will be worried about the safety of their child and wondering whether they should get their pushchair repaired or ask for a refund.
“Which? recommends that customers stop using their pushchairs and speak to iCandy’s Customer Services team.
“Although iCandy is encouraging consumers who bought Orange 4 pushchairs from January 2024 onwards to get theirs reworked, you have 30 days to reject this and get a refund in line with the Consumer Rights Act.”
You can read more about your rights concerning a recalled product in our guide.
How can I check for product recalls?
SADLY there's no central database that lists all the recalls across the UK.
This makes it more difficult for consumers to actually know if the products they are using are safe.
Some websites do list the most recent recalls for different kinds of products:
- For food, you can check a list of food alerts on the Food Standards Agency’s website at www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts.
- A variety of the most recent recalls and safety notices are listed on the Chartered Trading Institute at www.tradingstandards.uk/consumer-help/product-recalls-and-safety-notices.
- For car and vehicle recalls, you should visit www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall.
- For electrical products, you can check the Electrical Safety First’s website by visiting www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/product-recalls.
- Check alerts and recalls for drugs by visiting www.gov.uk/drug-device-alerts.