Urgent recall of supermarket chicken over listeria fears

A major supermarket has had to recall three of its products after finding they contained deadly Listeria bacteria.

SPAR discovered Listeria monocytogenes in three of its chicken products, prompting an urgent food recall from the supermarket and an alert from the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The organism can cause listeriosis, which has flu-like symptoms, including high temperatures, muscle ache and sickness. In rare cases, the infection can cause severe complications, such as meningitis.

Some people are more vulnerable to listeria infections, such as those over the age of 65, pregnant women and their unborn babies, people with weakened immune systems and infants less than one month old. It can also cause still borns.

The three products flagged by the supermarket are from the SPAR Enjoy Local Cooked Chicken range, including its Chicken Pieces, 150g, Chicken Slices, 150g, and Chicken Fillets, 300g. They all fall under the 5126 batch code and have a use by date of 21 May 2025.

The FSA shared a statement which read: “SPAR is recalling the above products. Point of sale notices will be displayed where the products are sold. These notices explain to customers why the products are being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the products.”

They then advised: “If there is a problem with a food product that means it should not be sold, then it might be 'withdrawn' (taken off the shelves) or 'recalled' (when customers are asked to return the product).

“The FSA issues Product Recall Information Notices to let consumers and local authorities know about problems associated with food. In some cases, a 'Food Alert for Action' is issued. This provides local authorities with details of specific action to be taken on behalf of consumers.

“If you have bought the above products, do not eat them. Instead, return the products to where they were bought for a full refund. Any customers with queries or concerns can contact SPAR Customer Services on 0289 034 2733.”