Waitrose, Sainsbury's Recall Prawns and Allergen-Contaminated Foods Across UK Supermarkets

On November 27, 2025, Waitrose & Partners launched a dual food safety alert that sent shockwaves through UK grocery shoppers: frozen prawns labeled as "cooked" were found to contain raw, uncooked pieces — a potentially deadly mix for anyone who assumes they’re safe to eat straight from the freezer. The same day, the supermarket also recalled its Essential Waitrose & Partners Seafood Sticks because the best before date on the packaging read 2026 when it should have been 05 October 2024. These weren’t isolated blunders. Across the UK, Sainsbury's, Asda, and Tesco had already issued their own recalls in the preceding two weeks, revealing a disturbing pattern of mislabeling, undeclared allergens, and expired dates slipping through quality control.

What’s Being Recalled — And Why It Matters

Waitrose’s Waitrose Frozen Cooked and Peeled Jumbo King Prawns and Essential Frozen Cooked King Prawns were pulled after internal checks found raw prawns mixed in with the cooked product. That’s not just a labeling error — it’s a public health risk. Undercooked shellfish can carry Vibrio bacteria, norovirus, and parasites that cause severe gastrointestinal illness, especially in children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. Customers who thought they were serving a quick, safe meal may have unknowingly eaten raw seafood.

Meanwhile, the Essential Waitrose & Partners Seafood Sticks (250g) carried an incorrect best before date — one that extended months beyond the actual shelf life. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) flagged this under reference FSA-PRIN-11-2025, noting that consumption after the true expiration date could lead to spoilage and bacterial growth. The FSA, headquartered in London, defines such cases as recalls — meaning customers must actively return the items, not just avoid buying them.

Earlier in the month, Tesco recalled its 300g Celery, Fruit and Nut Salad because it contained undeclared mustard — a known allergen that can trigger anaphylaxis. The product had been on shelves since July 2025. On November 12, Sainsbury's pulled JS Free From Breaded Mini Fillets because they contained milk, despite being marketed as dairy-free. That’s a catastrophic failure for consumers with severe allergies.

Asda’s 10 Mini Duck Spring Rolls with Hoisin Dip had a use-by date of December 29, 2025 — but the real expiration was November 29, 2025. A month’s difference. That’s not a typo. That’s negligence.

More Than Just Prawns: A Pattern of Overlooked Risks

Waitrose’s recall list doesn’t stop at seafood. An October 2025 update revealed a separate recall for Good Grips Pasta Scoop Strainer — a kitchen tool — because a batch contained primary aromatic amine (PAA), a chemical linked to cancer risk when it leaches into food. That’s not a food product. It’s a food-contact item. And it failed safety standards.

Also pulled: The Jolly Hog Leek Porkers 6 British Sausages (undeclared milk), and Spoon Granola Cinnamon + Pecan 400g (undeclared peanuts and gluten). The granola recall alone affected batch M5244 00, with a best before date of May 22, 2026. How did this slip past inspectors? And why are multiple allergens — milk, peanuts, gluten, mustard — consistently missing from labels?

It’s not the first time. Back in January 2021, Waitrose recalled frozen seafood over Salmonella concerns. Now, four years later, the same retailer is dealing with raw prawns and carcinogenic kitchen tools. This isn’t a fluke. It’s a systemic issue.

Who’s Responsible — And Who’s Being Left Out

The Food Standards Agency is doing its job: issuing alerts, tracking recalls, and publishing public notices. But the agency doesn’t inspect every batch. It relies on retailers to self-report. And when recalls are issued days or weeks after products hit shelves, it’s too late for vulnerable consumers.

One mother in Manchester told the BBC she served her 5-year-old daughter a Waitrose prawn dish on November 25. The child developed vomiting and fever two hours later. The family didn’t learn about the recall until November 28 — after a neighbor mentioned it on social media. "We trusted the label," she said. "We didn’t think they’d lie to us."

Small businesses and independent grocers who stock these products are also at risk. Many don’t have the resources to monitor FSA alerts daily. They rely on distributors — who, in some cases, may not even know a product has been recalled until the customer complains.

What Happens Next — And How to Protect Yourself

The FSA has pledged "enhanced scrutiny" of major retailers, but no new regulations have been announced. Experts warn that without mandatory real-time digital traceability — like QR codes linking to batch-specific safety data — these recalls will keep happening.

For now, consumers are told to:

• Stop eating any recalled product immediately
• Package it securely to avoid contaminating other food
• Return it to the store for a full refund
• Call the retailer’s customer line if unsure — Waitrose: 0800 188 884 (Option 4)

And if you have a food allergy? Always read the label — even if you’ve bought the product before. Because this time, the ingredients might have changed.

Historical Context: A Growing Trend

The UK saw 1,203 food recalls in 2024 — up 37% from 2021. Allergen mislabeling accounted for 62% of those. In 2023, the FSA fined Asda £150,000 for failing to disclose allergens in a sandwich line. The same company is now recalling spring rolls with wrong use-by dates. Is this a pattern of cost-cutting? Staff shortages? Inadequate training? The public deserves answers.

Meanwhile, the supermarkets are offering refunds — but no public apology. No explanation. Just a quiet notice on their websites.