Horrendous food experience!!

[VeganJohn]

I am still reeling from what has happened. My mother bought some vegetable spring rolls from Morrisons, the ingredients clearly stated that nothing other than bean sprouts, water chestnuts etc. were in the product.

A few hours ago I decided to eat them cold, straight from the fridge. I thought the contents were a little too 'chewy' and on closer inspection was horrified to discover that they contained small prawns

I have kept the packet with some of the remaining spring rolls. I feel sick and rather weak.

[sugarmouse]

sue the b*stards!!!lol i would!! what exactly did the ingredients say??

[VeganJohn]

Just got the packet.....

It says:

Ingredients: Vegetable spring rolls with beansprouts, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts.

What do you think I should do, ask for a refund??

[lolamako]

You really could sue them, I mean what if it was something you were really allergic to?

Youd be doing the public a service to let everyone know that they are lax with there ingredients...

At the very least COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN. If theres anything else that they make that you can have, trust, and like, then get free vouchers for everything.

I hate to say it, Ive worked entirely to much retail, BUT " The squeeky wheel gets the grease"

[pixeequeen]

I agree that you should complain here, that is a horrible thing to happen. You took every care about checking what you eat, and they make a mistake that means you are faced with something against your strong beliefs. That is very wrong, and I am glad you have told us that it happened (so we know to be extra careeful with Morrsions) but the emphasis should be on them checking (and seemingly changing) their protocol! I hope your ok, that was very much their fault not yours. hug. PQ

[sugarmouse]

[QUOTE=lolamako]You really could sue them, I mean what if it was something you were really allergic to?


ITA!!!get wot u can out of the f**kers.lol id be mad!

[tasha]

What are prawns? Seafood?

I am allergic to most seafood, when I was little I swelled up like a balloon after tasting lobster.

I'd be very peeved if that happened to me, not only because I'm vegan, but because it could harm me physically (if prawns are seafood!).

I'd definitly say something to them, people should be aware of what they are eating. The restaurant should be honest about their ingrediants, let them know it could cost them a lot of money in the future...people do sue over these things if they are allergic or if it is against their religious/spiritual belief.

[VeganJohn]

Thanks for all the support! Prawns are seafood, yes. Although I am not allergic to seafood, I know of two people who are and who would have got very ill if it had happened to them.

I have kept a few of the rolls in the packet with the clearly stated ingredients and put them in the fridge. I still feel sick to my stomach and quite annoyed.

[littleTigercub]

I am sorry that this happened to you and agree with the others that this is not on ly distressing for you as a vegan but also extremely dangerous for those allergic to seafood.

I don`t exactly know about suing them, but yet, I would take this back, ask for a refund and also write to the highest manager you can get contact details from and complain about the *grossly* misleading packaging!¬

littleTigercub

[Roxy]

Hi VeganJohn - what an awful thing to have happen! I hope you are feeling okay now.

Did you decide to take the matter further? Let us know what happens.

((((hugs)))))
Roxy.

[tails4wagging]

Contact your nearest Trading standards dept,. Freeze those rolls for evidence. See what trading standards suggest.


I would'nt buy fresh air from morrisons, dont like them or trust them!!.

[VeganJohn]

I am going away today until the weekend but I have two rolls left in the packet. I will freeze them before I leave later today. I fully intend to take the matter further.

I never shop at Morrisons personally, my mother had just bought them. Morrisons do have a fairly decent 'free from' range though.

[La]

Hello

eeeuh that must have been horrible

don't just ask for a refund, write to head office (saying that if they like you'll send them a sample) (and posh english always helps like 'i was most distressed that upon tucking in i found a shrimp'....etc etc, throw in a bit of praise like 'i always shop at morrisons as i have always found your produce to be of the utmost quality' sort of thing and then see how much in vouchers they send you - if you don't think it's enough complain again and say you'll write to the local paper...free food is always good even if its morrisons...

trading standards maybe but it could just have been a mess up in the factory....

[AbFab]

Hi, Vegan John. Have you got an update for us? I for one am very interested to know what happened.

I have bought these vegetable spring rolls from Morrisons too, I have never had prawns in mine, but I don't think I'll risk it any more. I hardly ever buy anything packaged, but I thought I'd be safe with simple vegetable spring rolls. I am feeling quite ill at the thought, you poor thing.
I've never eaten prawns, I always thought they were a really gross thing to want to put in your mouth.

[VeganJohn]

I'm afraid I have not done anything yet. I have been too busy working full time in a very dull job to pay off my student debt! The remaining 'fishy' spring rolls are still in the freezer in the packet.

A few people have told me that it would be a waste of time complaining and it wouldn't achieve anything due to the reason for the mistake probably being a mix up with a labelling machine. Apparently a 'complaining vegan' wouldn't ruffle any feathers at Morrisons.

I still have the evidence mind you, spring rolls containing dead prawns in a clearly labelled 'vegetarian' packet!

[pixeequeen]

Bollocks to them not listening at all! It is sooooooo at least worth a try, and considering the potential implications - severe moral distress, potential allergy problems, they cannot let things like this happen, and should apologise and offer you stuff and question their production modes. And NEVER consider yourelf "just a complaining vegan", one consumers voice is alot different to noones voice, and they may never be aware of their mistakes if noone told them

[l337_v3g4n_1]

SUE!
i reccomend not getting vouchers for more of their food, that''d be just plain silly

Sue them for 5 mill!

[librahi]

you know, i had a smilar experience when i was just converting. i was not yet totally vegan, but ordered a wrap from Jersey Mike's subs. Milk free wrap with veggies sauteed in it, hold the cheese. i got this after a bad experience with a bad salad there a few weeks before. i was eating it, it was great, then a piece of steak fell out. i was fuming! i called and spoke with the manager and told her that i was a vegetarian for very strict beliefs. she apologized and said sorry, we were busy and cooked a steak one right next to yours. luckily, i didn't eat it, but i was pissed. i did nothing but lecture to her that people could be alergic even and they just can't do that. what idiots! i wished i would have sued. go for it man, i would honestly raise some hell about it. good luck.

[puffin]

I would have been really angry about that librahi. It is so hard to trust anyone. I still read everything on the back of packets even if it says vegan on it, i just cant help myself, but when you go out to eat we should expect to get what we asked for.
My husband who is veggie picked up a veggie pasty at a resturant once, bit into it and realized it had meat in it, he wasnt very happy as you can imagine

[snaffler]

Grill the B*****ds, errmm Morrisons that is not the spring rolls.
Personally I would gurn in a bag and place it on the customers services desk and when asked what this is, I would reply the reaction of my seafood allergy triggered by your stores idiotic labelling system.

[Kiran]

The majority of the people here say you must sue them!! So do I... You tell morrisions what vegan power is. It must also set an example to many other stores. meat might not only be allergic, but against our principles. veganism is like religion.. make no compromisies. Sue them lot..and keep us updated...

[Roxy]

A couple of weeks ago, I ordered some veggie spring rolls from a local Thai restaurant, along with a few other items. My boyfriend went and paid and picked up our meals and brought them home.

I took a bite out of my first spring roll and immediately spat it back out. Something tasted rancid. Upon closer inspection, there was little bits of ground meat in there!!!!!! I felt so sick!!!! I immediately called the restaurant, told them of their error and asked them to replace the spring rolls with vegetarian ones. I also said that I wouldn't be coming to pick them up as I was in the middle of my dinner, and that they would have to deliver them.

The did deliver them, and gave me a double serving. I guess it was a simple mistake by someone in the kitchen. However, a mistake that better not happen again!!

[Yoggy]

I also said that I wouldn't be coming to pick them up as I was in the middle of my dinner, and that they would have to deliver them.

The did deliver them, and gave me a double serving.

You GO girl! I'm glad you didn't sit back and let that one slide. And making them deliver the spring rolls--that was awesome. Damn I wish I had your guts!

[Roxy]

LOL - thanks. I am just sick and tired of not getting what I ask for and pay for.

Last week, I ordered a veggie pizza with no cheese. And what should turn up.....a veggie pizza WITH cheese. I called and raised supreme shit. They sent me out a fresh pizza and a $5 credit for next time.

[VeganJohn]

Ok, I will get some form of complaint filed with my local Morrisons over the next few weeks.

Thanks for the encouragement folks!

[Yoggy]

Roxy, I understand what you mean about the pizza without cheese. My sister is omni, but she's allergic to cheese. Whenever she orders delivery, she very specifically states that she wants NO cheese on it, because she's allergic. And 90% of the time, it comes with the cheese on it! I always insist that she call them back and exchange the pizza or get her money back, but she always says that she doesn't want to "be a bother". So she just meticulously peels the cheese off and reassembles the toppings on the pizza, which bothers the hell out of me, because she PAID for it, and the restaurant screwed it up, so THEY are the ones being a bother. But I guess I can't force somebody to speak out, even though it REALLY annoys me about the kind of disregard for customers that some companies get away with.

John, Let us know how it goes!

[Roxy]

I feel bad for your sister. I wish she would complain because in most cases, they don't know they are even making an error, unless the customer brings it to their attention.

Next time they deliver it with cheese, if you're there Yoggy - why don't you call and complain for her. It's not right that she should have to peel the cheese off and risk and allergic reaction!

I always complain about my food if it's not what I order. Sometimes I'll order a veggie burger and I always say "no cheese, no mayo". Sometimes it'll come with mayo. I'll send it back. It can't be that hard to follow instructions, surely.

[VeganJohn]

There is a cafe that I have been to twice for a veggie breakfast. Both times I specifically asked for there to be NO BUTTER on the toast, but both times there was butter on the toast. I vowed never to go back.

Why can't people follow simple instructions?

[Yoggy]

I used to work in a burger joint (a long time ago), and we rarely screwed up orders unless the customer wasn't clear about what they wanted. One customer ordered no pickles, then complained because there was relish on it! He had no right to complain, because he hadn't been specific. But he was still furious because he was allergic to pickles, and somehow we "should have known" that he meant "no pickle products" as well.

But John, when you say NO BUTTER on the toast and they put butter on it, then there's just no excuse. The same thing happened when I sent my boyfriend to Subway for me. He has a speech impairment, so I write down our orders so he can hand them to the person who makes the subs. And my order clearly said in neat handwriting, NO CHEESE. But guess what, there was cheese on it! It's because the "no cheese" part came at the end of the line which said "footlong veggie sub on Italian bread, cut old-style, no cheese". So the employee just didn't bother reading to the end of the line before he started making the sub.

I could go on, but I don't want to get worked up. I have been vegan just over a month, and eating out has been such a problem since I started, and NOT because it's hard to find animal-free food, but because it's hard to find people who care enough to follow instructions!

[Roxy]

The same thing happened when I sent my boyfriend to Subway for me. He has a speech impairment, so I write down our orders so he can hand them to the person who makes the subs. And my order clearly said in neat handwriting, NO CHEESE. But guess what, there was cheese on it! It's because the "no cheese" part came at the end of the line which said "footlong veggie sub on Italian bread, cut old-style, no cheese". So the employee just didn't bother reading to the end of the line before he started making the sub.

I could go on, but I don't want to get worked up. I have been vegan just over a month, and eating out has been such a problem since I started, and NOT because it's hard to find animal-free food, but because it's hard to find people who care enough to follow instructions!

Hi Yoggy - actually I think it is a "Subway" thing. Of all the Subway stores I have been to, I find the people who work there to have no interest in their jobs and they just want to slap a sandwich together and don't really give a hoot about customer satisfaction.

[Yoggy]

I think it is a "Subway" thing. Of all the Subway stores I have been to, I find the people who work there to have no interest in their jobs and they just want to slap a sandwich together and don't really give a hoot about customer satisfaction.

LOL, and I used to work at Subway too . It's a terrible place to work, but not as bad as Timmy's, or so I've heard. I was just like the rest in not caring about my job, since it was just a summer gig and the management were a**holes, but I always prided myself on not screwing up orders! I've never been to any other Subways (or any restaurant, for that matter) and found employees to be as consciencious about that as I was. Most of the employees I've worked with, at any summer jobs, don't give a damn about treating customers with respect. They had no problems picking food up off the floor and serving it (though you can't really get away with that at Subway, fortunately), and when my sister worked at KFC, her fellow employees would purposely do it if customers were really rude or condescending. Someone I know once bragged to me about how he ate off customers' plates when he worked in the kitchen at Red Lobster, and how he put the food back on plates with his bare hands when it spilled, and he once put a blue crayon in a baked potato that later accidently got served! (Note: never visit Red Lobster in London, Ontario!) I think that's why my sister is afraid to complain about cheese on her pizza, because she thinks she'll anger the cook who will then do something foul to her food.

[l337_v3g4n_1]

that is a form of abuse.

[kokopelli]

I'm afraid I have not done anything yet. I have been too busy working full time in a very dull job to pay off my student debt! The remaining 'fishy' spring rolls are still in the freezer in the packet.

A few people have told me that it would be a waste of time complaining and it wouldn't achieve anything due to the reason for the mistake probably being a mix up with a labelling machine. Apparently a 'complaining vegan' wouldn't ruffle any feathers at Morrisons.

I still have the evidence mind you, spring rolls containing dead prawns in a clearly labelled 'vegetarian' packet!

I think it's your duty to report them to trading standards (look for them in your phone book) because presumably if no-one draws Morrison's attention to their mistake, they'll carry on selling the spring rolls and other veg*ns, or people with allergies, might buy them. Talking to trading standards and following their advice WILL get results.

I don't agree that it won't achieve anything, this is a bad mistake and I should think Morrison's will certainly want to compensate you.

[Roxy]

LOL, and I used to work at Subway too . It's a terrible place to work, but not as bad as Timmy's, or so I've heard. I was just like the rest in not caring about my job, since it was just a summer gig and the management were a**holes, but I always prided myself on not screwing up orders! I've never been to any other Subways (or any restaurant, for that matter) and found employees to be as consciencious about that as I was. Most of the employees I've worked with, at any summer jobs, don't give a damn about treating customers with respect. They had no problems picking food up off the floor and serving it (though you can't really get away with that at Subway, fortunately), and when my sister worked at KFC, her fellow employees would purposely do it if customers were really rude or condescending. Someone I know once bragged to me about how he ate off customers' plates when he worked in the kitchen at Red Lobster, and how he put the food back on plates with his bare hands when it spilled, and he once put a blue crayon in a baked potato that later accidently got served! (Note: never visit Red Lobster in London, Ontario!) I think that's why my sister is afraid to complain about cheese on her pizza, because she thinks she'll anger the cook who will then do something foul to her food.

That is disgusting!!!! No wonder people catch hepatitis from restaurants!

[tails4wagging]

I went into a cafe once that sold linda mc,cartneys sausages on their veggie breakfast. On ordering it, they brought meat sausages and said it was veggie, I said no they insisted there were. I heard giggling at the back in the kitchen. As it was a sunday I could not do anything about reporting it. So left them on the plate.

[Roxy]

bitches - they were probably part of that Gordon Ramsay's gang

[tails4wagging]

It was the Little Chef cafe!!.

[Roxy]

Is that where he's from or something?

[tails4wagging]

No its a chain of cafes based around the UK main roads.

[Roxy]

Ohhhhh ok

[keira]

My boyfriend's mother, who KNOWS I am vegetarian, recently brought over some "vegetable" sauce for pasta. We duly cooked it and put it on the pasta, it was only when I started eating I realised it contained bits of ham I would like to say something to her but don't know what, my boyfriend didn't seem too concerned The thing that annoys me here in Italy (and in the region where I live there ar more pigs than people, but you only ever smell them, you never see them out in the fresh air, poor pigs)

I totally sympathise with your situation, definitely complain to Morrisons. I would never shop there; they recently opened a shop where my parents live and almost immediately stopped getting some of their food from local producers, as the previous shop had done. Bad bad bad people ((((((((((((((

[keira]

Sorry, got lost in a parenthesis...!

The thing that annoys me here in Italy

... is that people think vegetarianism is something you can just "take or leave". Want to taste some of this meat sauce? Go on, just a taste....
Grrrrrrr

[Roxy]

Did the ham have a rancid taste to you? When I bit into those spring rolls I just knew immediately that there was meat in them as they tasted rancid or rotten. That was the first time I had tasted meat since going vegan a year and a half ago.

[Mystic]

I ordered a salad pita wrap for lunch today - had mayonnaise residue on it from where the knife had cut it in half

[Gliondrach]

I don't trust restaurant or cafe workers. Even if they don't put animal bits in food - deliberately or by mistake - many of them probably go to the toilet without washing their hands afterwards. As has been pointed out, some deliberately pollute the food in some way - sometimes with bodily fluids.

Dirty beggars!

[Roxy]

Some of those stories were just repulsive weren't they!? I remember when I was a kid, my mother would never let me buy cakes or lollies that were home made and being sold at school fairs etc......she said they could've been make by "the bum-pickers club" LOLOLOL The thought of someone picking their bum while they made a cake to sell at a school fair, turned me RIGHT off!

[RossClement]

Sorry to hear about your experiences. I used to buy vegetable samosas from tube stations, but they gave me meat ones instead of vegetable ones once too often. I've started making my own, but I haven't got the recipe refined properly yet.

Morrisons seem to be the least vegan friendly supermarket chain. After they took over Safeways, I wrote to them asking for a list of food suitable for vegans. They wrote back saying that they didn't have such a list and couldn't tell me which of their products were suitable for vegans but they hoped that I would continue shopping there. Another one of those "things that make you go eh?".

Cheers,

Ross-c

[Roxy]

yeah - it's like stuff you mate but hope you keep shopping here. We don't have Morrison's here but we have Safeway and they would have to be just about the most vegan unfriendly grocery store in Canada.

[AbFab]

Although, in their defence, their own-brand bran flakes are vegan, whereas Kelloggs' are not.

[RossClement]

Although, in their defence, their own-brand bran flakes are vegan, whereas Kelloggs' are not.

Do you mean the Morrisons bran flakes? If so, how do you know that they are vegan?

Cheers,

Ross-c