Recall notice: Chelsea and WW raw & brown sugar products
5 November 2021
FreshChoice is recalling Chelsea and WW branded raw sugar and brown sugar products brought in October 2021 up until 4 November 2021 because of low level lead contamination.
Specific batches of the below listed products are affected:
- Chelsea brand Raw Sugar (500g, 1.2kg and 4kg) - lots 21271 through to 21303
- Chelsea Soft Brown Sugar (500g and 1kg) - lots 21280 through to 21293
- Woolworths brand Raw Sugar (500g and 1kg) - lots 21274 through to 21281
- Woolworths brand Brown Sugar (500g and 1kg) - lots 21278 through to 21302
The affected products were sold at FreshChoice stores throughout Aotearoa.
FreshChoice takes food safety very seriously and we apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused by this recall. Any customer who has bought these products during this timeframe should not eat it, and is asked to return the product to their nearest FreshChoice store for a full refund.
A New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) expert science assessment, which has been independently peer reviewed, found the immediate food safety risk from these sugar products is low but supports a recall.
If you have any health concerns, please contact your doctor.
FAQs for Customer Care:
What is being recalled?
Chelsea and WW branded raw sugar and brown sugar products brought in October 2021 up until 4 November 2021.
Why is it being recalled?
These products are being recalled due to low level lead contamination. The problem has been identified by the supplier and responsible action has been taken to stop further release of the affected raw sugar into the market and recall the product from shelves and consumers.
What batches are affected?
- Chelsea brand Raw Sugar (500g, 1.2kg and 4kg) - lots 21271 through to 21303
- Chelsea Soft Brown Sugar (500g and 1kg) - lots 21280 through to 21293
- Woolworths brand Raw Sugar (500g and 1kg) - lots 21274 through to 21281
- Woolworths brand Brown Sugar (500g and 1kg) - lots 21278 through to 21302
What do I do if I bought this product?
Any customer who has bought these products during the specified timeframe should not eat it, and is asked to return the product to their nearest FreshChoice store for a full refund.
Will I get sick if I have eaten the sugar already?
The Ministry for Primary Industries has said the immediate food safety risk is considered to be low as the amount consumed will not cause illness. In addition, at the levels of lead detected someone would have to consume the contaminated product over a long period of time for it to be a concern.
Will I be able to get a refund?
Yes. Customers who have purchased the impacted product can bring it into their nearest FreshChoice store for a full refund.
What if I have put this product into another container?
We appreciate that customers will often tip these products into reusable containers in their pantries and will no longer have the packaging.
For customers who do this and have bought their product over the last five weeks, we can confirm their purchase using Onecard data. In situations where this isn’t available, we’ll apply a commonsense approach to refunds.
Will I still be able to buy raw and brown sugar?
This recall will impact our on-shelf supply of raw and brown sugar for a short time, but we are working with our supply partners to secure stock and make sure there’s some available over the coming weeks.
