Those with allergies should be able to find products and order from restaurant menus that have clear labelling and nutritional information. Not only does this allow them to make a well-informed purchase, but it reduces any worries or concerns they may have.
While there are preventative measures that can be taken, what would happen if a third party—such as Pret A Manger—breaches their duty of care? It could cause a customer to experience an allergic reaction after eating at Pret A Manger.
If you have experienced an allergic reaction after eating at Pret A Manger, then you might question whether you could pursue a compensation claim. Throughout this online guide, we will discuss personal injury claims in greater length. However, if at any point you have any questions or feel that you are ready to begin your claim, please speak to one of our advisers.
The number to call is 0161 696 9685.
Jump To A Section
- A Guide To Claiming For A Food Allergy At Pret A Manger
- What Are Food Allergies And Triggers?
- The Prevalence Of Food Allergies In The UK
- I Requested For A Drink Or Food To Be Left Out
- My Request For A Drink Or Food To Be Left Out Was Ignored
- How Negligence Could Cause Exposure To Allergens
- Consumer And Restaurant Customer Rights
- Could I Claim If I Did Not Notify A Restaurant I Had An Allergy?
- Foods And Drinks Which Could Trigger Allergic Reactions
- Pret A Manger Menu And Allergen Information
- Food Allergy At Pret A Manger Compensation Calculator
- How Special Damages Compensate You
- No Win No Fee Claims For A Food Allergy At Pret A Manger
- How To Start Your Case
- Information To Support This Guide
A Guide To Claiming For A Food Allergy At Pret A Manger
Those that have allergies and intolerances will take every preventable measure to ensure they avoid the ingredient that causes them harm. However, being cautious of the products you purchase is half the battle. If a third party like Pret A Manger breached their duty of care, it could cause an allergic reaction to occur.
There are various ways a third party like Pret A Manger could cause an allergic reaction, and within this guide, we are going to explore them. This guide will answer numerous questions, such as:
- Does Pret A Manger owe me a duty of care?
- How could a personal injury lawyer assist me with a claim?
- I ordered a vegan recipe item and suffered from a diary allergic reaction. What should I do?
- Where could I find the best solicitor to handle my case?
- What is a No Win No Fee agreement?
After reading this guide, you will have a well-informed outlook of the claims process and Pret A Manger’s duty of care. However, if you have any questions or if you feel ready to begin your claim, please speak to one of our advisers. Our claims team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and would be more than happy to talk with you.
What Are Food Allergies And Triggers?
Allergies can affect people in various ways, provoking different reactions and symptoms with varying severities. In its basic form, an allergic reaction is the body’s automatic response to a product it deems dangerous, causing a reaction to occur.
There are various types of allergic reactions that can happen, and each has a different severity level. To offer insight, we have listed the different types of allergic reactions that could occur and their respected symptoms.
Non-IgE Allergic Reactions
A reaction of this nature is often of a minor level that will occur over a prolonged length of time.
Symptoms:
- Constipation
- Cramps
- Red, dry, or cracked skin
- Itching
- Vomiting
IgE Allergic Reactions
Reactions of this nature tend to have moderate outcomes. While they are not life-threatening, they could be extremely damaging.
Symptoms:
- Itchy/tingly mouth
- Nausea
- Hives
- Hay fever-like symptoms
- Wheezing
Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is the most severe type of allergic reaction, as it often requires immediate medical attention and can have a life-altering impact.
Symptoms:
- Dizziness
- Problems speaking
- Issues swallowing
- Collapsing
- Tight chest/chest pain
- Issues breathing
- Swollen tongue
The Prevalence Of Food Allergies In The UK
Food allergies affect 1 in 4 people in the UK, and in some cases, allergies can affect people later in life. There are various types of allergies people could be allergic to, such as:
- Nut Allergies
- Egg Allergies
- Milk Allergies
- Dairy Allergies
- Wheat Allergies
- Soy Allergies
- Fruit Allergies
- Cereal Allergies
- Gluten Allergies
- Celery Allergies
- Seafood Allergies
- Fish Allergies
- Lupin Allergies
- Mustard Allergies
- Shellfish Allergies
- Sulphur Dioxide Allergies
The amount of people affected by allergic reactions has increased drastically over the last 20 years, showing a 615% increase. It is reflected in the 2014 statistics. There were 20,318 admissions to hospitals concerning an anaphylactic-based reaction.
I Requested For A Drink Or Food To Be Left Out
While many of the items at Pret A Manger are premade or pre-packed, there is room for flexibility and adjustment. If you make a request at Pret A Manger, then they are required to respect your dietary restrictions. If they cannot, they should inform you and advise what items would be suitable instead. This is echoed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
There are numerous ingredients you could request be taken out of your order, such as:
- Milk
- Wheat
- Cheese
- Tomatoes
- Eggs
- Oats
- Fish
- Nuts
If the outlet failed to meet your dietary requirement and serve you a product with an allergen that you had told them you were allergic to, it could cause a reaction and lead to a potential claim, provided evidence can be shown to establish the failing. Nobody should have to experience an allergic reaction, much less an allergic reaction caused by the negligent actions of another. But if you require legal advice after having an allergic reaction at Pret A Manger, please speak to one of our advisers.
My Request For A Drink Or Food To Be Left Out Was Ignored
When ordering a drink or food from the Pret A Manger menu, it is essential to look at the allergies listed within their items. The following items must display allergens and nutritional factors in a clear, readable font:
- Pret Salad
- Sandwiches
- Pret a Manger Chicken Salad
- Tuna Salad
- Greek salad
- Pret Baguettes
- Vegan Recipe
- Organic Coffee
If a customer has a specific request, the server must ensure they take that request seriously. These obligations are also extended to Pret delivery services. Failure to comply could cause profound health implications for the customer and cause them serious injury, illness, or in a worst-case scenario, death.
How Negligence Could Cause Exposure To Allergens
There are numerous ways a customer could become exposed to an allergen when eating at Pret A Manger. For example, if Pret A Manger breached its duty of care, it could come in the form of:
- An employee failing to execute a customer’s dietary request.
- Failure to provide transparent dietary information on their products
- Prepackaged and freshly made items could be poorly labelled.
- Foods being cross-contaminated with allergens, with no ‘may contain’ warnings given.
If you can provide clear evidence that shows Pret A Manger has breached its duty of care and caused you harm, then you could have valid grounds to pursue a compensation claim. For more information, why not speak to one of our advisers? They would be more than happy to talk with you regarding your potential claim in length and offer free legal advice.
Consumer And Restaurant Customer Rights
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, customers are entitled to request adjustments to their orders if they have a dietary requirement. The Act also states that a customer who is sold goods that are not-as-described or are considered defective could seek compensation.
Concerning Pret A Manger, a customer could have potential grounds to claim if:
- Products are labelled incorrectly
- Cross-contamination has caused a reaction
- Or if prepared items include an allergen, but it’s not labelled as such.
If you are unclear whether your allergic reaction at Pret A Manger was caused by negligence, why not speak to one of our advisers? They are more than happy to discuss your circumstances and offer free legal advice, of no obligation. If they believe you have suffered due to the negligence of a third party, they could connect you to a personal injury solicitor from our panel best suited to handle your case.
Could I Claim If I Did Not Notify A Restaurant I Had An Allergy?
While it is essential to inform the waiting staff of your allergy, should you not notify them and experience an allergic reaction, you could have grounds to make a claim. Pret A Manger is required to label the items they sell with clear, transparent allergy information.
So if you were to purchase dairy-free, vegan recipe-based products and experience a lactose allergy reaction, then Pret A Manger could be held accountable if their failings can be proven. So if you believe you have suffered due to incorrect labelling, please speak to one of our advisers regarding your potential claim.
What Happens If A Restaurant Fails To Warn Customers About Allergens?
If a restaurant like Pret A Manger fails to warn customers about allergens, it could create a dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation. Allergy sufferers often take preventative measures to ensure they are free from potential harm. Therefore, if they were to purchase a product with incorrect allergy information, or if they were to ask for a specific request that isn’t executed, a reaction could occur.
Here is a list of items customers might request be left out of their meal:
- Cheese
- Tomatoes
- Fish
- Milk
- Nuts
- Eggs
- Wheat
- Oats
Foods And Drinks Which Could Trigger Allergic Reactions
As outlined by the Food Standards Agency, all businesses must highlight the 14 most common allergens within their products. This includes:
- Mustard
- Nuts
- Peanuts
- Eggs
- Sesame Seeds
- Soya
- Fish
- Lupin
- Molluscs
- Sulphur Dioxide
- Celery
- Cereals containing gluten
- Crustaceans
- Eggs
Should Pret A Manger neglect their duty of care and fail to outline allergens within their items, it could cause a reaction to occur.
Pret A Manger Menu And Allergen Information
The importance and emphasis surrounding food allergies and the responsibilities of restaurants have become increasingly prevalent over recent years, thanks to the introduction of Natasha’s Law.
In 2019, a young girl had an allergic reaction after eating a Pret baguette that caused her untimely death. Since the unfortunate incident, the conversations surrounding the responsibilities of restaurants and their obligation to allergy sufferers have come into question, resulting in the introduction of Natasha’s Law. The law was announced in 2019 and comes into action in 2021.
Should a restaurant breach their duty of care, it could cause another fatal incident like this to occur. Therefore, they must ensure all allergens in their foods (both prepackaged and freshly made) are clearly outlined.
Menu
Within this section, you will find the current items listed on Pret A Manger’s menu. It is worth stating that the information within this article is accurate at the time of publication. However, it could be subject to change.
Breakfast
- Breakfast Egg & Tomatoes
- Very Berry Croissant
- Bircher Muesli
- Watermelon & Lime
- Cinnamon Danish
- Apple
- Mango & Banana Sunshine Bowl
- Pret’s Fruit Salad
- Five Berry Bowl
- Pain Aux Raisins
- Almond Croissant
- Sweet Pastry Selection Box
- Chocolate Croissant
- Banana
- Smashed Avo Open Sandwich
- French Butter Croissant
- Mango & Lime
Lunch
- Chicken, Avocado & Basil
- Brie, Tomato & Basil
- Avo, Olives & Toms
- Hoisin Duck Salad Wrap
- Macaroni Cheese Prosciutto
- Houmous & Falafel Mezze
- Smoked Salmon Protein Box
- Salmon And Mango Salad Bowl
- Tuna & Cucumber
- Egg & Spinach Protein Pot
- Pret’s Lobster Roll
- Macaroni Cheese Kale & Cauli
- Wiltshire-Cured Ham & Greve
- Italian Prosciutto
- Scottish Smoked Salmon
- Classic Supper Club
- Free Range Egg Mayo
- Smoked Salmon & Soft Cheese Open Sandwich
- Jambon-Beurre
- Chef’s Italian Chicken Salad
- Pole & Line Caught Tuna Mayo & Cucumber
- Houmous & Chipotle Wrap
- Tamari & Ginger Chicken Salad Bowl
- Ham & Cheese
- Posh Cheddar & Pickle
- Chicken Caesar & Bacon
- Tuna Nicoise Salad
- Chipotle Sweet Potato Salad Bowl
Soups
- Pea & Mint
- Pret’s Mushroom Risotto
- Chicken & Butternut Risotto
Kids
- Free-Range Egg Mayo Sandwich
- Cheese Sandwich
- Ham Sandwich
Food Allergy At Pret A Manger Compensation Calculator
Claimants often question how much compensation they could be awarded for an allergic reaction claim. While some firms opt to use personal injury claims calculators to offer estimated figures, we have used the Judicial College Guidelines to create a table. The table offers insight into the compensation process and how much could be awarded.
Reaction Payout Bracket Description
Mental Anguish £4,380 Compensation of this bracket could be awarded to a claimant that feared for their life or worried their quality of life would be affected.
Allergies (serious) £8,950 to £18,020 The event would be short-lived and would resolve over a prolonged period of time.
Allergies (Severe) £36,060 to £49,270 A reaction of this nature would require treatment due to long-term health implications. The individual would not e able to enjoy a social life or work for some time.
Allergies (minor) £3,710 to £8,950 A reaction of this nature would require Hospital admission. However, the recovery would be good.
Allergies (slight) From around £860 to £3,710 The reaction would be extremely minor. The symptoms would be resolved within a matter of days or weeks.
If you have experienced an allergic reaction due to the negligent actions of a third party, then you will be required to attend a medical assessment, local to you. Within the assessment, the medical professional will ask you a series of questions and evaluate the severity of your allergic reaction.
Upon completion, the medical professional will document any information collected within the assessment and put it into a report, which can be used to value and support your claim.
If you have any questions regarding the compensation process or the medical assessment, please speak to one of our advisers.
How Special Damages Compensate You
Within the previous sector, we discussed the compensation process concerning physical and psychological trauma. Within this section, we will explore special damages in detail, as they could also be factored into your compensation claim.
Essentially, special damages take into account any financial loss you have experienced due to the negligent actions of a third party. For example, if you have suffered an allergic reaction after eating at Pret A Manger, then you could experience:
- The cost of care
- Medical-related expenses
- The loss of potential earnings
- Travel expenses
For a special damages claim to have validity, you must be able to provide evidence, such as:
- Bills
- Bank statements
- Payslips
- And receipts
No Win No Fee Claims For A Food Allergy At Pret A Manger
If you have been affected by an allergic reaction, then you might question whether you could have grounds to pursue a compensation claim. In many cases, claimants have concerns regarding the financial aspects of the claims process, which is why No Win No Fee agreements are incredibly beneficial.
If a personal injury lawyer offers to handle your claim under a No Win No Fee agreement, then you would have access to the following benefits:
- No fees to begin your claim.
- Zero payable fees to pay while the claim is on-going.
If the claim has a successful outcome, then the solicitor handling your claim will deduct a small fee from the awarded settlement. This is referred to as a success fee. By law, success fees are capped, so you need not worry about losing much of your compensation.
However, should the claim have an unsuccessful outcome, then you would not be obligated to cover your solicitor’s legal fees.
How To Start Your Case
After reading this online guide, you might have some questions or feel that you are ready to begin your potential claim. No matter the circumstance, one of our advisers would be more than happy to speak with you in greater length.
If you would like to speak with an adviser regarding your potential claim, you can reach our team in one of the following ways:
- The number to call is 0161 696 9685.
- To enquire online, please click here.
- To use the live chat feature, click the icon located on the right corner of the page.
It is also worth stating that if you have suffered from an allergic reaction after eating at Pret A Manger and wish to make a claim, it is important to acknowledge you must begin proceedings within the personal injury claims time limit, which is 3-years from the date of the reaction. A failure to do so could see your claim time-barred, meaning you’ll miss out on compensation. There are exceptions to the time limitation period, so for more information and additional information, why not speak to one of our advisers?
Information To Support This Guide
Thank you for taking the time to read our online guide. If you have any questions relating to allergic reactions after eating at Pret A Manger, please speak to one of our advisers. Within this section, you will find additional resources that could be of use.
Treating Allergies – A list of available treatments for allergies from the NHS.
Report A Problem – Report food-related queries to the government’s Food Standards Agency.
Steroid Medicines – Details of different steroid medicines supplied by the NHS.
FAQ: Allergic Reaction Claims – A guide looking at allergy claims.
Nut Allergy Claims – A guide discussing nut allergic reaction claims.
Allergic Reaction To Dairy Claims – A guide discussing diary product cases.
Guide by Brennan
Edited by Billing