If you are aware that you suffer from a food allergy, then you’ll probably be very cautious when eating out. It might be that you have to check labels or review menus extra vigorously to see if food includes an allergen before ordering. You might also ask the staff to confirm an allergen hasn’t been used or ask for it to be removed. In this guide, we’re going to look at when you might be able to make a claim for an allergic reaction after eating Greggs food because the company, or its staff, have been negligent in some way. We’ll look at the Greggs menu, what types of allergies are possible and how much compensation you could be entitled to claim.
Legal Helpline can help you begin a personal injury claim by providing free legal advice and a no-obligation assessment of your claim. If a member of our team feels there’s a chance of success, they could introduce you to a specialist solicitor from our panel. Any claim they decide to take on will be handled on a No Win No Fee basis.
If you’re already in a position to begin a claim, please call an advisor on 0161 696 9685 today. Otherwise, to find out more about claiming for an allergic reaction after eating at Greggs, please continue reading.
Jump To A Section
- A Guide To Claiming For A Food Allergy In Greggs Takeaway
- What Are Allergic Reactions To Foods?
- Are Food Allergies And Intolerances Common in The UK?
- Greggs Had Ignored A Request To Remove An Allergen
- Could Allergic Reactions Be Caused By A Restaurant’s Negligence?
- What Rights Do Takeaway Customers Have Under Consumer Protection Laws?
- Could I Still Claim Damages If I Did Not Inform A Restaurant About My Allergy?
- Foods Which Could Cause Allergic Reactions
- Greggs Menu And Food Allergies
- Food Allergy And Intolerance Compensation Calculator
- Personal Injury Claim Special Damages
- No Win No Fee Claims For Allergic Reactions To Foods From Greggs
- Contact The Team At Legal Helpline
- References
A Guide To Claiming For A Food Allergy In Greggs Takeaway
Many people suffer from different allergies in the UK. While some will have to deal with conditions that are irritating and annoying, some allergic reactions can lead to much more serious symptoms or even a fatality. By law, food businesses must label food clearly if it contains some allergens. The types of allergy that we’re talking about include:
- Nut allergies.
- Egg allergies.
- Milk allergies.
- Dairy allergies.
- Soy allergies.
- Gluten allergies.
- Mustard allergies.
- Shellfish allergies.
- Sulphur dioxide allergies.
- Seafood allergies.
- Celery allergies.
- Wheat allergies.
- Lupin allergies.
- Fish allergies.
If a restaurant, retailer or food producer fails to provide clear guidance that food contains one of the allergens listed, you could be entitled to claim compensation for any suffering caused.
Importantly, if you are considering making a claim, you’ll need to do so within the personal injury times limit. This is a 3-year period, usually from the date of your allergic reaction, in which you have to submit your claim. If you fail to do so, the claim could be statute-barred, meaning you’ll be unable to claim any compensation you might’ve been entitled to.
As we progress through this guide, we’ll look at what causes allergic reactions, how common they are, when Greggs could be liable for any suffering caused and when you could be entitled to make a claim.
After you’ve finished reading, if you’d like any further advice or to begin a claim, please contact an advisor for free claims advice.
What Are Allergic Reactions To Foods?
An allergic reaction happens when the immune system incorrectly believes that a specific food or ingredient is bad for the body. According to the NHS, some of the more common symptoms of an allergic reaction include an itchy sensation around the ears, throat or mouth, hives (a raised itchy rash), swelling around the eyes, tongue, lips and roof of the mouth and vomiting.
In more severe cases, a severe allergic reaction (known as anaphylaxis) can cause breathing difficulties and lead to fatalities.
What Could Cause An Allergic Reaction To Greggs Food?
Later on in this guide, we’ll look at what items are currently on the menu at Greggs but, if you’re an allergy sufferer, you should look out for Greggs’ allergy information on packaging or signs within the store.
For instance, some Greggs products will be labelled to let you know if they’re gluten-free. Others should contain allergen details that are easy to read because it has been underlined, written in bold text or displayed in a different colour.
If you suffer an allergic reaction after eating Greggs food, you should try to retain the food packaging or photograph the menu or signage if you believe the allergen was not clearly listed. Witnesses could also be useful if they overheard you ask a member of staff about allergen information before making your purchase.
Are Food Allergies And Intolerances Common in The UK?
According to AllergyUK, around 44% of British adults suffer from at least one allergy and that figure is rising. Around 48% of those sufferers have more than one allergy to deal with.
During the 20 years leading up to 2012, there was a staggering 615% rise in the rate of hospitalisations for anaphylaxis in the UK. The statistics don’t provide evidence as to why that figure has increased so much but it’s possible that as more people become aware of the condition, they know that it needs to be treated as a medical emergency.
Greggs Had Ignored A Request To Remove An Allergen
When you order some items in Greggs, you may be able to specify that you don’t want a particular ingredient to be included. For instance, if ordering a breakfast roll, you might ask the staff to leave out the scrambled egg. Here is a list of ingredients you could ask to not be used:
- No milk.
- No eggs.
- No cheese.
- No oats
- No wheat.
- No fish.
- No milk.
- No nuts.
- No tomatoes.
Due to the fact that some items are pre-packed or not baked in-store, staff may not be able to accommodate your request. However, if they agree to do so and you go on to suffer an allergic reaction because they forgot to fulfil your request (or failed to do so properly), you could be entitled to claim compensation.
If this is a scenario you’ve found yourself in, please contact a member of our team for free advice on your options.
Could Allergic Reactions Be Caused By A Restaurant’s Negligence?
If you’re an allergy sufferer, your condition is nobody’s fault so you might think it’d be difficult to claim compensation after suffering a reaction. However, under UK food labelling law, all restaurants must clearly indicate if an item on their menu contains an allergen.
They can do so by clearly displaying a warning on the menu or by having signs in the restaurant displaying allergen information. This could simply be a message that tells you to ask a member of staff for information. While there might not be a Greggs allergen list available, the member of staff should be able to answer your questions.
As well as detailing any allergen contained within a product, restaurants should indicate if there’s a chance of cross-contamination. For instance, if a cake doesn’t contain nuts but was prepared in an area where nuts have been used then they should use a “may contain” label to advise of the potential risk.
If the restaurant fails to provide clear indications regarding the presence of an allergen, and you suffer a reaction as a result, you could be eligible to begin a compensation claim if you can prove that they breached their duty of care.
What Rights Do Takeaway Customers Have Under Consumer Protection Laws?
If you place an order for food online, via your mobile, or through a food delivery service, the business that you are purchasing from still has a duty of care, under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, to provide information relating to allergens. In cases where the presence of an allergen isn’t clearly shown, the retailer is likely to have been negligent and a claim could be possible for any suffering caused.
In cases of cross-contamination, a retailer may also be found to have been negligent if, despite having quality controls in place in their production environment, it is clear that there was a chance of their product being contaminated with the allergen. In these cases, if a ‘may contain’ warning wasn’t listed, you could also be entitled to seek compensation.
Could I Still Claim Damages If I Did Not Inform A Restaurant About My Allergy?
As an allergy sufferer, you are responsible for your own wellbeing. That means if you’re unsure whether a product contains the allergen that affects you, you’d be responsible for checking with the restaurant. However, you could still be entitled to make a claim if you can show that the restaurant failed to inform you, via packaging, signage or the menu, that the product contains an allergen.
Failures To Warn A Customer About An Allergen
In the scenario above, a food retailer would be responsible for your allergic reaction if they’d failed to clearly highlight the fact that the product you purchased contained an allergen or there was the potential for cross-contamination.
Greggs allergy information should clearly be indicated on any packaging in bold text, underlined or highlighted in other ways to make it stand out. For any food that is not prepacked, the allergy information must be provided in writing.
If you believe that you suffered an allergic reaction after eating at Greggs because they failed to inform you of an allergen, we could help you begin a compensation claim. Please contact an advisor for free advice on whether you’re eligible to make a claim.
Foods Which Could Cause Allergic Reactions
There are many different foods which cause allergic reactions. While reactions that cause a nut allergy are fairly well reported in the news, there are many other types of allergies which can cause a lot of suffering. For your information, a full list is provided below:
- Nut allergies.
- Mustard allergies.
- Egg allergies.
- Dairy allergies.
- Milk allergies.
- Wheat allergies.
- Soy allergies.
- Fruit allergies.
- Shellfish allergies.
- Cereal allergies.
- Gluten allergies.
- Celery allergies.
- Seafood allergies.
- Fish allergies.
- Lupin allergies.
- Sulphur dioxide allergies.
While we’ve not discussed all of the allergens listed above, we could help you claim for any type of allergic reaction, ranging from a Greggs vegan sausage roll allergy to a Greggs yum yum allergy. If you believe you’ve suffered a reaction due to the negligence of Greggs, please contact an advisor for free claims advice.
Greggs Menu And Food Allergies
Due to the restrictions placed on retailers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants and fast-food outlets are having to reduce the number of items on their menus. Therefore, to provide you with the most up to date information, the list below shows what items were on sale at Greggs at the time of writing.
Bread & Rolls
- Ham and cheese baguette.
- Mexican chicken baguette.
- Roast chicken mayonnaise baguette.
- Tandoori chicken baguette.
- Tuna crunch baguette.
- Mature cheddar cheese ploughman’s oval bite.
- Chargrill chicken oval bite.
- Mexican chicken oval bite.
- Roast chicken and bacon club baguette.
- Mature cheddar cheese salad baguette.
Bakes
- Cheese and onion bake.
- Bacon and cheese wrap.
- Sausage roll.
- Steak bake.
- Chicken bake.
- Sausage, bean and cheese melt.
- Three cheese pizza.
- Three cheese and pepperoni pizza.
- Vegan sausage roll.
- Vegan steak bake.
Breakfast
- Pain au chocolat.
- Simply creamy porridge.
- Golden syrup porridge.
- All butter croissant.
- Bacon breakfast baguette.
- Bacon breakfast roll.
- Omelette breakfast roll.
- Sausage breakfast baguette.
- Sausage breakfast roll.
- Omelette breakfast baguette.
Confectionary
- Jammy heart biscuit.
- Caramel custard doughnut.
- Yum Yum.
- Jam doughnut.
- Gingerbread man.
- Triple chocolate doughnut.
- Triple Belgian chocolate brownies.
- Novelty biscuit.
- Pink Jammie.
- Sugar strand doughnut.
Food Allergy And Intolerance Compensation Calculator
If you’ve decided that you’re going to claim, you’ll probably want to know the amount of compensation you might receive. Due to the fact that every claim is unique, we haven’t included a personal injury claims calculator here. Instead, the table below has been provided to show the levels of compensation that could be awarded for specific injuries or illnesses caused by different allergic reactions. The figures are based on guidelines produced by the Judicial College, an organisation that reviews compensation awards made by the courts.
When you call to discuss your claim related to an allergic reaction after eating at Greggs, one of the solicitors from our panel can provide you with a more personalised compensation amount.
Type Compensation Range Information
Allergic reaction Up to £3,710 Minor symptoms of an allergic reaction which will usually resolve, without treatment within a week or two.
Allergic reaction £3,710 to £8,950 More serious symptoms like fatigue, stomach cramps, significant discomfort. Hospital admission is likely and symptoms will last for a few weeks and complete recovery will take around a year.
Allergic reaction £8,950 to £18,020 Symptoms which are serious and will diminish in around two to four weeks. Some symptoms will last longer (or may be permanent) and could warrant a higher compensation amount.
As you’ll notice, each injury is compensated based on its severity. That means it’s important to provide enough evidence to demonstrate the exact nature of your suffering and to support your claim. Therefore, during the claims process, your solicitor will make arrangements for you to attend an appointment with a medical specialist for an assessment. This will be conducted as local to you as possible. During the appointment, your injuries will be reviewed and you’ll be asked a variety of questions in relation to the impact of your injuries. A report will then be provided that shows how you’ve suffered and whether you’ll continue to suffer at all in the future.
If you’d like more information about what injuries or illnesses could be claimed for, please get in touch today.
Personal Injury Claim Special Damages
When claiming for a food allergy in Greggs, your personal injury solicitor can claim for two heads of loss: general and special damages. General damages are used to compensate you for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity caused by your illness or injury. The table in the previous section provided details of potential general damages amounts.
Special damages are used to compensate you for any financial losses you’ve experienced because of the allergic reaction. To help your solicitor prove how much you’ve lost, you’ll need to provide evidence to support your claim such as receipts, bank statements or wage slips.
There are several elements to a special damages claim including:
- Travelling Costs. While you’re recovering, you may need to alter your normal travel arrangements. Also, you might need to visit a hospital, GP or pharmacy on multiple occasions. Therefore, you could ask for the cost of fuel or parking costs.
- Medical Expenses. In most circumstances, any treatment you’ll need will be provided for free on the NHS. However, you could still be entitled to claim for prescriptions or other treatments.
- Care Costs. If you need to be cared for during your recovery, you could claim back any care-related costs. That might be fees for a professional carer or an hourly rate for the time of a loved one.
- Lost Income. If your injuries mean you’re unable to work for a while, or that you need to take time off to visit a doctor, you could claim back any lost earnings. If you suffer longer-term injuries which impact on your ability to work, you could ask for future lost income to be considered.
No Win No Fee Claims For Allergic Reactions To Foods From Greggs
When making any type of personal injury claim, you might worry about any possible solicitors costs. To reduce the amount of stress involved and to make sure that you receive access to justice, our panel of solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis for any claim they decide to pursue.
The type of agreement used to fund personal injury claims is known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). The perks of using a CFA include:
- No upfront fees. This allows your claim to begin right away.
- No solicitor’s fees to pay while the case is ongoing.
- If the claim is lost, you won’t have to cover any of your solicitor’s fees whatsoever.
When a claim is a success, your solicitor will keep a modest percentage of the compensation award to cover their work. This is called a success fee, but you don’t need to worry too much about it as it will be listed in your CFA and is legally capped.
To find out whether you might be eligible to claim on a No Win No Fee basis, please contact an advisor today.
Contact The Team At Legal Helpline
If you’ve found this guide about claiming for an allergic reaction to Greggs food useful, then we hope you’d like Legal Helpline to help you begin your claim. If that’s the case, here are our contact details:
- Speak with one of our specialist advisors by calling 0161 696 9685
- Begin your claim online by completing this simple claims form.
- Use our live chat application to connect with an online advisor.
- Send information regarding your claim via email to [email protected].
Any call will begin with a free, no-obligation consultation where an advisor will listen to what’s happened and review any evidence you can supply. If they believe there’s a chance of making a successful claim, they’ll connect you to one of the personal injury lawyers from our panel.
References
Thanks for reading this guide about making a claim if you’ve suffered an allergic reaction after eating at Greggs. In our final section, we’ve provided you with more helpful information including some more of our guides, in addition to some useful external resources too. Should any further information be required, please get in touch with a member of our team.
Allergic Reaction FAQs – This guide answers a number of common questions regarding making allergic reaction claims.
Lactose Intolerance Claims – Advice on how and when you could claim compensation if you’ve suffered due to an intolerance to lactose.
Wheat Allergy Claims – Information on what can cause an allergic reaction to wheat and when you could make a claim.
Allergy Testing – Guidance from the NHS on how allergies can be tested for.
Food Labelling – Information from the government on how allergens should be highlighted on labelling and packaging.
The Food Standards Agency – The government department responsible for enforcing food-related legislation.
Guide by BE
Edited by REG