Overview
- The Food Standards Agency issued an allergy alert on Thursday after finding barley that was not declared on the label of Waitrose & Partners 4 Richly Fruited Hot Cross Buns.
- The recall covers packs of four with a best-before date of 06 June 2026 and applies to items sold in Waitrose stores and online across England, Scotland and Wales.
- Consumers with a barley allergy are told not to eat the product and may return unopened or partly used packs to any Waitrose store for a full refund without a receipt.
- Waitrose has apologised, instructed stores to display recall notices, contacted relevant allergy support organisations, and provided a customer-care line for queries.
- Under UK law barley is one of 14 major allergens because it contains gluten, so the undeclared ingredient risks people with true barley allergy and those with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity and may increase regulatory scrutiny of labelling practices.