Major supermarkets issue urgent product recalls over food poisoning fears

Two major UK supermarkets have issued urgent recall notices for a popular food item amid contamination fears.

Both Waitrose and Sainsbury’s have recalled packs of black olives after some were discovered to contain traces of listeria.

Waitrose detected listeria monocytogenes in 120g packs of Waitrose Essential Pitted Black Olives with a use-by date of September 13, September 18, and September 27, 2026.

Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s is recalling 120g packs of Inspired to Cook by Sainsbury's Pitted Black Olives with use-by dates of September 6, September 7, and September 10, 2026.

Sainsbury's have recalled some of their black olives

Sainsbury's

Customers who have bought these packs have been urged not to eat them and to return them to a store for a full refund.

Listeria can contaminate a wide range of foods, including pre-made deli meats, salads, and soft mould-ripened cheeses.

According to the NHS, Listeria can cause a rare infection called Listeriosis, which can make some people seriously ill.

Waitrose Pitted Black Olives

Waitrose

According to the Food Standards Agency, symptoms of listeriosis can resemble flu, including a high temperature, muscle aches or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea.

In some cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications such as meningitis.

Some people are more vulnerable to Listeria infections, including those over 65 years of age, pregnant women and their unborn babies, babies less than one month old and people with weakened immune systems.