Waitrose shoppers are being urged to check their kitchen cupboards and bread bins after the supermarket issued an emergency withdrawal of two bakery items across its UK stores. The retailer has pulled two sweet treats from shelves and warned that certain batches could pose a serious health risk if consumed.
The alert covers two varieties of the retailer's own-brand bakery selection: the Waitrose & Partners Sweet, Fluffy, Golden Ring Doughnuts and the Waitrose & Partners Jammy, Messy, Squidgy Doughnuts. In a notice on its website, Waitrose said the products contain soy, an ingredient not listed on the packaging labels.
Affected batches and best-before dates
The affected products are the five-pack Sweet, Fluffy, Golden Ring Doughnuts and the five-pack Jammy, Messy, Squidgy Doughnuts, with best-before dates of November 10, 2026 and November 11, 2026.
According to Allergy UK, as many as 60% of manufactured foods contain soya. Soya comes from soybeans, and immature soybeans are called edamame beans. It can be eaten as whole beans or used as flour, sauce or oil, and is also used in foods as a texturiser (texturised vegetable protein), an emulsifier (soya lecithin) or a protein filler. Soya flour is widely used in breads, cakes, processed foods (ready meals, burgers and sausages) and baby foods.
Health risk and customer advice
For the vast majority of shoppers, the bakery treats are harmless, but for anyone living with a soya allergy or intolerance, eating soya could trigger an unexpected and potentially dangerous allergic reaction.
Waitrose has warned shoppers who are intolerant to soy not to consume the products. Instead, they should package the item and return it to a local Waitrose & Partners branch for a refund. Anyone affected by the food recall can also contact Waitrose Customer Care on 0800 188 884, Option 4.
The supermarket said: "We apologise that it has been necessary to recall this product and for the inconvenience caused."
