Tesco and Asda sued by customers over E coli sandwich infections

Customers, including the family of an 11-year-old girl, are taking legal action against Tesco and Asda. They became very sick after eating sandwiches made by these stores that were connected to an E coli outbreak.

The grocery stores are being taken to court after a child and adult were hospitalized. One person has died and over 120 others, including a six-year-old, have been admitted to the hospital in the UK because of the bacteria.

Many food companies have pulled sandwiches, wraps, and salads from shelves in large grocery stores and retail stores due to concerns that they may be connected to the spread of illness. The Food Standards Agency has stated that the lettuce used in these products is believed to be the probable cause of the outbreak.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said during a presentation on Thursday that two individuals in England passed away within 28 days of being infected with Shiga toxin-producing E coli (Stec).

According to health service experts, it is possible that one of these deaths was caused by their Stec infection. Both individuals had other health problems and passed away in May.

One person who was harmed, and whose family is taking legal action against Asda, is an 11-year-old girl from the north-west. She became severely sick and had to stay in the hospital and receive dialysis for nearly three weeks after consuming their chicken salad sandwich.

She left the hospital two days back, but there is a possibility of lasting harm to her kidneys. According to a legal letter, her mother purchased three sandwiches through an online delivery service.

The kid got haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a medical condition connected to Stec that can cause kidney failure and even death.

Claire Glasgow, from the law firm Fieldfisher, is speaking for the family of the girl. She is relieved that the girl's health has improved enough for her to go back home. However, HUS is a severe illness that can harm the kidneys permanently, leading to long-lasting effects on the person's health.

Attorneys at Fieldfisher sent a legal notice to Asda supermarket on behalf of the girl, alleging a violation of the Consumer Protection Act 1987.

Harvinder Kaur, who is a director at Fieldfisher, sent a legal letter to Tesco for breaking the same law on behalf of a man from the southeast who got sick with E coli symptoms from eating Tesco's own-brand sandwiches with salad.

Thankfully, this customer did not end up getting HUS and is now back at home, but he was very sick for a while. According to the law, food companies must make sure their products are safe to consume. If someone gets sick from their food, it is a violation of their responsibility, and the affected people can seek compensation, especially to cover any continuing medical treatment. "My client used to shop at Tesco often, getting lunch there almost every day because it was conveniently located near his workplace," said Kaur.

E coli is a varied collection of usually harmless bacteria that reside in the guts of both humans and animals. Yet, certain versions release toxins like Stec, which have the potential to cause severe illness in individuals.

Stec can lead to diarrhea, with blood present in around half of cases. Additional symptoms may include abdominal cramps and a fever. Symptoms typically persist for up to two weeks in straightforward cases.

Certain patients, especially children, may experience HUS. A minority of adults may develop a related condition called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).

As of June 25th, an additional 19 cases of Stec have been reported, increasing the total number of confirmed cases to 275 in the UK, as stated in the update on the UKHSA website.

A representative from Asda mentioned, "We have not been sent a letter from Fieldfisher about these allegations. Once we receive it, we will quickly examine the details of the claim."

Tesco has not been informed about the claim yet.