Overview
- The family of Celia Marsh secured a £1.25 million settlement approved by Master Mark Gidden following out-of-court negotiations.
- Pret A Manger will pay 25% of the compensation, while Planet Coconut’s insurers are liable for the balance under an agreed apportionment.
- The settlement structure was negotiated to avoid joint-and-several liability for all parties, with Planet Coconut’s insurers joined to cover the manufacturer’s share.
- Marsh died in 2017 after eating a Pret ‘vegan rainbow’ flatbread that contained milk protein traced to a Planet Coconut ‘dairy-free’ yoghurt ingredient cross-contaminated during manufacture (HG1).
- The 2022 inquest found labelling and communication failures and led to a prevention-of-future-deaths report that prompted Food Standards Agency guidance updates on ‘free from’ and ‘vegan’ claims.