LONDON, January 4, 2026, 13:02 ET
- Tesco recalled three 170g own-brand pate products over an incorrect use-by date, the UK food watchdog said.
- The Food Standards Agency warned of a possible “microbiological risk” and told shoppers to return affected packs for a refund.
- The move comes as supermarkets face heightened scrutiny over labelling and recall compliance.
Britain’s Tesco has recalled three 170-gram own-brand pate products after they were labelled with an incorrect use-by date, prompting a warning over a possible microbiological risk, the UK’s Food Standards Agency said on Jan. 3. The recall covers Tesco Coarse Farmhouse Pate, Coarse Ardennes Pate and Smooth Chicken Liver Pate with a use-by date of 05 January 2026. 1
Use-by dates are safety deadlines for foods that spoil quickly, and the watchdog warns people should not eat food after that date even if it looks and smells normal. Mislabelled dates can leave shoppers relying on packaging that no longer reflects when the food is safe to eat. 2
Tesco told customers to return the affected date code to any Tesco store for a full refund and said no receipt was required. “No other Tesco products are affected by this recall,” the retailer said in a customer notice. 3
The FSA said the products “may pose a microbiological risk,” a term used in food safety for harmful bacteria that can build up when chilled foods are kept too long or handled incorrectly.
The affected items are sold in 170g packs and include one chicken liver pate and two coarse pates, the notice showed. The date code in question is “05 JAN”.
Tesco said it would display point-of-sale notices in stores selling the products, a standard step designed to reach shoppers who may not see online recall updates. The FSA publishes such warnings as Product Recall Information Notices on its alerts page. 4
Competitive pressure is growing as peers also issue consumer notices. Waitrose said on Dec. 30 it recalled certain bottles of its No1 Deeside mineral and sparkling waters due to potential glass contamination and asked customers not to consume them and to return products for a refund. 5
But the key uncertainty is how many packs are already in households — and whether any have been eaten. The FSA notice did not mention reports of illness linked to the pates.
For Tesco, the practical test is execution: pulling affected stock quickly, getting clear in-store signage up, and handling refunds smoothly. The company directed customers to its contact channels for further information.
