Aldi has conceded it needs to do more to ensure its suppliers adhere to its quality standards, after having to withdraw frozen readymeals adulterated with horse meat.
The discount chain withdrew two products made by French manufacturer Comigel – Today’s Special Frozen Beef Lasagne and Today’s Special Frozen Spaghetti Bolognese – last week as a precautionary measure. The meat content of the products has since tested positive for between 30% and 100% horse meat.
“We already have rigorous testing systems in place, but clearly we need to do more to ensure that our suppliers are complying with our high standards,” Aldi said.
The company added it was cutting ties with Comigel. “The products from Comigel will not be sold in our stores again, and we will no longer take any product from Comigel,” it said.
It advised anyone who has bought any of the products to return them to stores and said whilst it was confident the products were safe, it was testing the affected products for the veterinary drug phenylbutazone.
It added that it was determined to learn lessons from the incident, and would be supportive of any legal action taken against any suppliers. “Aldi will not tolerate any supplier who fails to comply with our requirements and we will support any appropriate legal action taken against any supplier that knowingly does wrong.”
Findus’s Nordic division, which was also supplied by Comigel, suggested over the weekend it might take action against the company. In turn, Comigel has claimed it is the victim of fraud and would be seeking redress from its own suppliers.
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