Cape Town - Retailers around the country have begun removing millions of KOO and Hugo’s canned vegetable products from their shelves following a recall issued by Tiger Brands on Monday.
Tiger Brands recalled certain canned products produced from May 1, 2019 to May 5, 2021 due to a number of defective cans supplied by a packaging supplier.
The cans may have a defective side seam weld that could cause the can to leak, Tiger Brands said, after the company identified the issue as part of its internal quality assurance processes.
Products from the KOO and Hugo’s canned vegetable range include baked beans, cream-style sweetcorn, and garden peas in brine.
Shoprite on Monday said the group’s supermarkets were working to remove identified products from shelves as soon as possible.
“Consumers are urged to check their food cupboards and return the recalled product to their nearest supermarket for a refund,” Shoprite said.
Pick n Pay spokesperson Tamra Veley said: “The recalled products are being removed from our shelves, and any customer who has bought one of the products affected by the recall can return them to Pick n Pay for a full refund.”
Tiger Brands said an estimated 20 million cans, around 9% of annual canned goods production, form part of the recall.
“No health issues have been reported to date relating to the affected product range. Despite the low probability of illness and injury, matters of quality and food safety are an absolute priority,” Tiger Brands said.
The company encouraged consumers to check their food shelves at home and to return any canned products forming part of this recall to their nearest supermarket or wholesale outlet for a refund.
National Consumer Commission Acting Commissioner Thezi Mabuza said: “We urge consumers who have these products in their possession to verify the barcodes as well as manufacturing dates, and if they form part of the recall, immediately return these products to any retail store for a full refund with or without any receipt. Our inspectors are monitoring the recall based on the Recall Guidelines.’’
KOO canned products forming part of the recall can be identified by looking at the manufacturing date code stamped on the bottom or the top of the can. The manufacturing date appears in the first line following the letters MAN.
For more information visit www.KOO.co.za or contact the consumer careline on 0860 100 891 or at [email protected]
Cape Times