How to get a refund for recalled food
Last reviewed 5 October 2026 against the sources listed below.
When food is recalled, the business asks customers to take action, usually to return the product for a refund. The exact advice is in each recall notice and takes priority over anything general.
The usual process
- Check your pack matches the recall: product, pack size, batch code and date (how to check).
- Don't eat it. If the notice says to dispose of it, take a photo of the batch code and date first.
- Take it back to the shop. Most notices say "the store where it was bought", and some say any branch.
- If you bought it online, or can't get to a shop, contact the retailer's customer service (below).
Do you need a receipt?
Many supermarkets have said in their own recall notices that you don't need a receipt for a recalled product. Policies vary, so check the notice. Where a retailer hasn't said, take the receipt if you have it, or a bank statement or loyalty-card record.
What UK supermarkets say
From each retailer's own website and recall notices; see each supermarket's page for sources and the date it was checked.
| Retailer | Refund | No receipt needed? | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lidl | Take the product back to a Lidl store for a full refund. | Yes, per its notices | 0203 966 5566 |
| Tesco | Take the product back to any Tesco store for a full refund. | Yes, per its notices | 0800 505 555 |
| Waitrose | Take the product back to your local Waitrose & Partners branch for a refund. | Yes, per its notices | 0800 188 884 |
| Sainsbury's | Take the product back to your nearest Sainsbury's store for a full refund, or call the Sainsbury's careline. | Yes, per its notices | 0800 028 8303 |
| Asda | Take the product back to your nearest Asda store for a full refund. | Yes, per its notices | 0800 952 0101 |
| Morrisons | Take the product back to the Morrisons store where you bought it for a full refund. | Yes, per its notices | 0345 611 6111 |
| Aldi | Take the product back to the Aldi store where you bought it for a full refund. | Not stated | 0800 042 0800 |
| Co-op | Take the product back to your local Co-op store for a refund or replacement (subject to availability). If you bought it online, call 0330 041 7737 for a refund. | Yes, per its notices | 0800 0686 727 |
| Iceland | Take the product back to your nearest Iceland store for a full refund. | Yes, per its notices | 0800 328 0800 |
| M&S | Take the product back to your nearest M&S store for a full refund. | Not stated | 0333 014 8555 |
| Dunnes Stores | Take the product back to your nearest Dunnes Stores for a full refund. | Not stated | [email protected] |
| SPAR | Take the product back to the SPAR store where you bought it for a full refund. SPAR shops are run by different retailers, so check the notice for the product. | Not stated | |
| Booths | Take the product back to the Booths store where you bought it for a full refund. Booths says product enquiries are best handled by staff at your local store. | Yes, per its notices | 0370 774 9506 |
| TK Maxx and Homesense | Take the product back to any TK Maxx or Homesense store for a full refund or replacement. | Not stated | 01923 473561 |
| Farmfoods | Take the product back to the Farmfoods store where you bought it for a full refund. | Not stated | 0121 700 7160 |
| Home Bargains | Take the product back to the Home Bargains store where you bought it for a full refund, or contact the customer careline. | Not stated | [email protected] |
| Greggs | Greggs products sold through other shops (such as Iceland) go back to the shop where you bought them for a full refund. | Not stated | 0808 147 3447 |
| Costa Coffee | Take the product back to the store where you bought it for a full refund. | Not stated | 0333 003 5883 |
| Poundstretcher | Take the product back to the store where you bought it for a full refund. (Poundstretcher's most recent FSA notice is from 2019.) | Not stated | |
| Boots | Take the product back to the Boots store where you bought it for a full refund. | Yes, per its notices | 0800 915 0004 |
| Holland & Barrett | Take the product back to the store where you bought it for a full refund. | Not stated |
Branded products
For branded products (not a supermarket's own label), notices often give the brand's own careline or email as well. You can usually still return the product to the shop where you bought it. The recall page for each product shows the contact details from the notice.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Food incidents, product withdrawals and recalls
- Supermarket recall pages and FSA notices (listed on each supermarket page)