Possible contamination of a few brands of veganstore sweets

[twinkle]

Just to warn you all - I just got an email from veganstore.co.uk:

URGENT INFORMATION ABOUT TUCK SHOP SWEETS


I am so sorry to inform you that it has come to our attention that the
following items look to be contaminated with Gelatine.

I have always endeavored to ensure that all our products are 100% vegan
but
it seems we have failed to stop this awful thing happening.

Anyone who has purchased this product please contact us immediately and
we will refund you in full. Please just discard the contaminated stock,
do not
worry about sending it back to us.

I cannot apologise for this enough and it is most certainly our worst
nightmare.

And I realise fully how upset and disgusted you will all feel about
this.

If you'd like to discuss this with me in any way please call on 01273
302979.


Tuck Shop Fizzy Cola Bottles
Tuck Shop Liquorice All Sorts

[pixeequeen]

Just to warn you all - I just got an email from veganstore.co.uk:

Oh my god! I'm horrified. Do you think they mean if you've bought them ever, or recent batches? They've been selling cola bottles for ages.

I am shocked, I guess I'll be getting an email shortly.

[twinkle]

I guess it must be recent batches. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, I thought I'd better post something as they don't seem to have anything up on their website yet (and may not at all).

[Cherry]

I wonder how recent 'recent' is.

[cookey]

I don't know if anyone else had an email yesterday? Veganstore have sent round an email to say that their liqourice allsorts and fizzy colas have been found to be contaminated with gelatine.
Unfortunately, we got one bag of each at the Christmas without crueltry fayre.

[RedWellies]

OMG! How did that happen? Do you think it was one batch or they've always had it in and they didn't check ingredients thoroughly? At least they emailed you. I have bought sweets from them before online but I haven't received an email so far.

[Hemlock]

Ptooey, barf, I eat them all the time

[Mr Flibble]

Their licquorice allsorts did look disturbingly like the real thing

[vegcurry]

Aaaaaaaaaaaargh Noooooooooooooooooo! And we scoffed a load of Liquorice All Sorts last month.

[Mr Flibble]

Does gelatine contamination mean some idiot accidently used the wrong stirrer in a big batch that may have had gelatine on, or have they actually just been flogging completely non vegan sweets with a 300% markup?

In their defence I think it's remarkably admirable of them to admit it and email all their customers, knowing full well that it could really damage their business. When supermarkets get something wrong like this they put an a4 printout up about it in the most obscure place possible, when they could easily check which clubcard/nectar accounts have purchased it and send out an email/letter with the next statement.

[Pob]

There are other products with that message on too if you click on product info - including dolly mixtures.

[mcfluffin]

When supermarkets get something wrong like this they put an a4 printout up about it in the most obscure place possible

"at the bottom of a locked filing cabinet, stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying 'Beware of the Leopard!'." teehee

I think it is probably this 'some prat using the wrong spoon' thing, and I agree that it shows their comittment to vegan products that they admit it straight out. Something politicians should practice!

[puffin]

Hubby had a phone call from them yesterday. They said that the machine wasnt cleaned out properly before the vegan sweets were made. Now i am suprised that the vegan ones are even made by the same machine as the gelatin ones We have been refunded the money but i am a bit pissed as i got some in as christmas presents for my kids and i have already eaten some in the last two weeks.
They cant be 100% sure they are gelatin free but they are not saying that they have gelatin in

[cookey]

I got an email back early this morning to say that the ones at London were fine as they were bagged up before the contaminated batch came in. We had actually given them to people who weren't vegan anyway but I wasn't looking forward to having to tell them!
Veganstore have been very good about the whole thing IMO.

[RedWellies]

How do they find these things out? Do they randomly test the sweets? Or did someone admit to not doing their job correctly ie cleaning out the machine? I still haven't received an email from them but perhaps I bought my sweets before the dodgy batches.

[puffin]

They just told us that the machine wasnt cleaned out properly before they made the vegan sweets. Maybe the company who makes them confessed to there mistake.

[harpy]

Well, I'm just amazed that everyone involved has been so scrupulous, especially when it would have been so much easier for them to cover the whole thing up.

[Risker]

Damn it! I've waited ages to try these so got someone to buy me some as a christmas present. I was really looking forward to it

[Cherry]

Aparently anything bought before November is fine. I did have the exact date in November but have cleverly deleted the email they sent me

[puffin]

I bought mine in December God i hope there wasnt any gelatin in mine *gags*

[Mr Flibble]

There are other products with that message on too if you click on product info - including dolly mixtures.

apparently they are ceasing to use sell those because they are dropping the supplier

"We have contracts with the factory to make sure the machinery is cleaned between processing a non vegan batch and our recipe and this time the factory cannot present the paperwork to confirm this has happened.

The only batches this applies to our the liquorice all sorts and the cola
bottles, however we have stopped production on all their sweets"

So there's a chance that no contamination happened, it could just be an admin f* up

[Gorilla]

i bought dolly mixtures and liquorice allsorts at the Christmas Without Cruelty fayre, the dolly mixtures were eaten within a day or two of purchase but i still have the allsorts in the cupboard - not sure if i should eat them now. i guess i'll have to phone them tomorrow.

[Cherry]

I got an email back early this morning to say that the ones at London were fine as they were bagged up before the contaminated batch came in.

So I think you're ok Gorillla

[Gorilla]

yeah, i saw that, but i'm thinking i'd rather hear it from Veganstore myself before i scoff them all.

[Cherry]

I think I'd feel the same

[vegcurry]

Aparently anything bought before November is fine. I did have the exact date in November but have cleverly deleted the email they sent me

Phew! breathes a sigh of relief. Thanks for that Cherry. We got ours mid to late October time.