Allergens Not Declared in English: What the B&M Chocolate Bar Recall Means for Your Claim
By Chris Carter, Managing Solicitor · April 2026
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
A chocolate bar sold at B&M and Home Bargains was recalled in April 2026. It contained peanuts, milk and soya. None of that was declared in English. Under UK law, that is not a labelling slip. It is a legal failure — and it creates a claim.
- The FSA recalled Millennium Peanuts Caramel Milk Chocolate on 17 April 2026. It contained seven allergens. Not one was declared in English on the pack.
- UK law requires allergen information in English on food sold in England. That is not guidance. It is a statutory obligation under the Food Information Regulations 2014.
- The importer and the retailers who stocked it both carry potential liability. A recall confirms the failure. It does not erase it.
- You do not need a hospital admission to claim. Anxiety, distress and the wait for test results are all recognised losses in England and Wales.
- You have three years to claim. The clock runs from your reaction — not from the date the recall was issued.
On 17 April 2026, the Food Standards Agency issued Allergy Alert FSA-AA-21-2026. It named a chocolate bar — Millennium Peanuts Caramel Milk Chocolate, sold in 285g packs at B&M and Home Bargains across England and Wales — and ordered it recalled. The reason was not contamination. Not a manufacturing fault. The product contained peanuts, milk, soya, and potentially almonds, cashew nuts, cereals containing gluten, and hazelnuts. None of that information was declared in English on the label.
For someone with a peanut allergy picking up a product in a busy discount store, there was no way to know from the packaging that it could kill them. That is not a complaint about a single product. It is a description of exactly what allergen labelling law in England and Wales exists to prevent.
If you bought this product and had a reaction, or if you bought it and did not have a reaction only because you happened not to eat it yet, this post explains your legal position — what the law required, who failed to meet it, and what you can do.
I Saw The Recall Notice — What Was Actually Wrong With This Chocolate Bar?
The Millennium Peanuts Caramel Milk Chocolate was sold in a 285g pack at B&M and Home Bargains. It contained milk, peanuts, and soya as declared ingredients. The packaging also warned of potential traces of almonds, cashew nuts, cereals containing gluten, and hazelnuts. That is a significant allergen list — covering five of the fourteen major allergens regulated by UK food law.
The problem was not the allergens themselves. It was that none of this information was declared in English. The FSA alert FSA-AA-21-2026 confirmed that the allergen warnings existed on the packaging — but in a language other than English. Anyone buying the product in England who read only English had no way of knowing what was in it.
The recall applies to all 285g packs with any best-before date. If you still have the product, the FSA advises not to eat it. If you have already eaten it and had a reaction, the relevant question is not what the product contained — it is what the law required to be declared, and whether that duty was met.
Selling Food In England Without An English Allergen Label — Surely That Is Actually Illegal?
Yes. It is a breach of food law in England and Wales. The requirement to provide allergen information in a language the consumer can understand is not guidance or best practice. It is a statutory obligation. Four pieces of legislation govern this situation.
THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK: WHAT THESE REGULATIONS REQUIRED
Food Information Regulations 2014
(SI 2014/1855)
Regulation 5 requires that food information is provided in a language easily understood by consumers in the country of sale. For England, that means English. A label carrying allergen information in a foreign language only does not satisfy this requirement.
EU FIC Regulation 1169/2011
(Retained in UK Law)
The UK retained this regulation after Brexit. It mandates that the 14 major allergens must be declared in the ingredients list of any pre-packaged food. The retention into UK law means the full allergen declaration framework continues to apply to food sold in England.
Consumer Protection Act 1987
A product is defective under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 if it does not provide the safety that consumers are generally entitled to expect. A product containing peanuts, milk, and soya with no English allergen warnings fails this test. The importer and the retailer may both carry liability under this Act.
Food Safety Act 1990
Section 8 of the Food Safety Act 1990 makes it an offence to sell food that does not meet food safety requirements. Supplying a product with undeclared allergens — including via non-English labelling — engages these requirements. The FSA’s power to issue recall notices flows from this legislative framework.
The key point for anyone who had a reaction is this: the obligation to provide allergen information in English sat with the importer and the retailers who placed this product on sale. It did not sit with the consumer who could not read a foreign-language label. The failure to meet that obligation is what creates liability.
Both The Importer And The Shops Sold It — Who Do I Actually Claim Against?
This is one of the more useful features of this type of claim. You are not limited to one potential defendant. The importer — the company that brought the product into the UK and placed it on the market — carries primary liability under the Food Information Regulations 2014 for the labelling failure. The product reached England without compliant English allergen information. That failure happened before it entered any shop.
At the same time, B&M and Home Bargains, as the retailers who stocked and sold the product, also carry obligations. Retailers are required to ensure that the food they sell meets labelling requirements. Placing a product with non-English allergen information on sale in England is not a passive act — it is a supply decision that the retailer made. Depending on the circumstances, both parties may be relevant defendants in a claim.
In practice, a specialist allergy solicitor will advise you on who to claim against based on the specific facts of your reaction. The point worth knowing now is that the existence of a supply chain does not dilute your options. It often expands them.
A Detail That Often Gets Missed
Many people who have reacted to a product with no English allergen information assume that because they could not read the label, neither could anyone else have known what was in it. That reasoning is understandable — but it is the wrong way round. The obligation to ensure allergen information is provided in English falls on the importer and the retailer, not the consumer. A label printed in a foreign language does not discharge that duty. It is evidence of a failure to meet it. When the FSA issues a recall for this reason, it is confirming that the legal standard was not reached — which is exactly what a claim requires you to establish.
I Had A Reaction To This Product. What Do I Need To Do Now?
The steps below apply whether your reaction was severe or mild. How well you document your reaction in the early stages has a direct bearing on how straightforward your claim will be.
Step 1
Seek Medical Attention
Go to your GP or A&E if you have not already done so. A medical record of your symptoms, even if the reaction was mild, creates evidence that the reaction occurred and documents its nature. This is important regardless of severity.
Step 2
Preserve The Product Or Photograph The Packaging
If you still have the product, do not throw it away. Keep the pack and photograph every side of it, including the barcode, best-before date, and any labelling — in whichever language it appears. If you no longer have it, photograph your receipt.
Step 3
Write Down What Happened
Record when you bought the product, which store, what you ate, when symptoms started, how long they lasted, and any treatment you received. Memory fades quickly. A written note made today will be more reliable than a recollection made months later.
Step 4
Report To The FSA
The FSA operates a Food Problem Reporter at food.gov.uk. Submitting a report creates an official record linked to the recall. This is not a condition of making a claim, but it adds corroborating evidence and contributes to the FSA’s monitoring of the recall response.
Step 5
Speak To A Specialist Allergy Solicitor
A solicitor who handles allergy claims specifically — not a general personal injury firm — will assess whether you have a viable claim against the importer, the retailer, or both. This type of claim involves food labelling law under the Food Information Regulations 2014 as well as product liability under the Consumer Protection Act 1987. Both require specialist handling.
I Did Not End Up In Hospital. Does My Reaction Count?
Yes. Compensation for an allergic reaction claim is not limited to cases involving hospitalisation or epipen use. The Judicial College Guidelines — the reference document courts use when assessing personal injury compensation — recognise multiple categories of reaction severity, from mild to severe anaphylaxis.
A reaction that caused hives, swelling, vomiting, or difficulty breathing — even if it resolved without medical treatment — can support a claim. So can the psychological impact: the anxiety of waiting for test results, the fear during the reaction itself, and any ongoing change in eating behaviour caused by the incident. These are established heads of loss in allergy claims in England and Wales.
What matters is that you experienced a reaction you can document, and that the product you ate was the cause. You do not need to have reached a particular threshold of medical severity. The legal question is whether the product failed to meet the standard you were entitled to expect — and a product recalled by the FSA for undeclared allergens is, by definition, one that did not.
“What the FSA recall notice tells us is that the legal obligation was not met before this product went on sale. The allergen information was not in English. That is the failure. A claim for a reaction to this product is not about proving the product contained allergens — it is about proving that you were denied the information the law required you to have.”
Chris Carter, Managing Solicitor, Carter & Carter Solicitors
How Long Do I Actually Have Before I Cannot Make A Claim Anymore?
Under the Limitation Act 1980, you have three years from the date of your reaction to bring a claim. The clock starts when the incident occurred — not when the FSA recall was issued, and not when you first became aware that the labelling was non-compliant. If your reaction happened before the recall was published, those days already count toward your three years.
There are exceptions for children. If the person who reacted was under 18 at the time, the three-year period does not begin until their 18th birthday. A parent or guardian can bring a claim on their behalf before that date.
Three years can feel like a long time. In practice, allergy claims need evidence that is best gathered early — medical records, product packaging, receipts, symptom notes. Speaking to a solicitor sooner rather than later protects the quality of your evidence, not just your ability to claim within the time limit.
THE RECALL IN NUMBERS
14 — the number of major allergens regulated by UK food law that food businesses are legally required to declare
7 — the number of allergens at issue in this recall: peanuts, milk, soya, almonds, cashew nuts, cereals containing gluten, and hazelnuts
17 April 2026 — the date the FSA issued Allergy Alert FSA-AA-21-2026 and ordered the product recalled from B&M and Home Bargains
3 years — the time limit under the Limitation Act 1980 in which a claim must be brought, running from the date of the reaction
The importer’s obligation to provide English allergen information existed before this product entered any UK shop. A recall confirms the duty was not met — it does not transfer that duty to the consumer who could not read the label.
Which Allergen Caused Your Reaction?
This product contained multiple allergens. If you reacted, the specific allergen involved may affect which commercial pages and legal frameworks apply to your claim. Select the type that matches your allergy.
Nut allergy claims — your rights and next steps
Dairy allergy claims — undeclared milk in food products
Soya allergy claims — mislabelled and undeclared soya
Gluten allergy claims — your rights when cereals are undeclared
Allergy claims hub — all claim types, all allergens, all food settings
“Following an incident where I was mis sold a product containing nuts and suffering a reaction I persude a claim as I felt the attitude from the bakery head office was absolutely appalling. Dave took on my case and was brilliant keeping me up to date with any contact made and what was happening. I would highly recommend Carter and Carter solicitors.”
Laura Chadwick — Google Review
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RELATED GUIDES
- Mislabelled food and allergic reactions — when you can claim
- Three allergen recalls in one week — what UK food labels are failing to tell you
- Can I sue for an allergic reaction? Your rights explained
- I did not go to hospital — can I still make an allergy claim?
- What our clients say
- Why work with Carter & Carter
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Chris Carter is the Managing Solicitor at Carter & Carter Solicitors in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire. Qualified in 1993, Chris has spent over 33 years handling personal injury claims, with allergy and anaphylaxis claims forming one of the firm’s four specialist practice areas. Carter & Carter is one of very few firms in England and Wales to publish its fee structure upfront and to handle every claim personally at senior solicitor level from start to finish.
Questions About This Recall And Your Rights
The product has been recalled — does a recall automatically mean I have a valid claim?
A recall does not automatically create a valid claim, but it is powerful supporting evidence. The FSA issues a recall when it determines that a product poses a risk to consumers. In the case of FSA-AA-21-2026, the FSA concluded that the Millennium Peanuts Caramel Milk Chocolate was unsafe for people with allergies to peanuts, milk, soya, almonds, cashew nuts, gluten, or hazelnuts — because that information was not declared in English. To succeed in a claim, you still need to show that you purchased and ate the product, that you suffered a reaction, and that the reaction was caused by an allergen the label failed to declare. The recall confirms the labelling failure. Your medical records and symptom notes establish the reaction. Together, they form the foundation of a claim.
Can I claim if I reacted to one of the “may contain” allergens rather than the declared ingredients?
Yes, potentially. The “may contain” statement covers allergens present through cross-contamination in the manufacturing process. The Food Information Regulations 2014 do not specify the exact wording required for cross-contamination warnings, but those warnings must also be provided in a language the consumer can understand. If the “may contain” information on this product was also only in a foreign language, the same legal failure applies. A claim based on a reaction to a “may contain” allergen requires evidence connecting your reaction to that specific allergen — typically through an allergy diagnosis — but the labelling obligation is the same.
What if I threw the product away before I saw the recall notice?
Not having the product does not end your ability to claim, but it does make evidence gathering more important. If you have a receipt showing the purchase from B&M or Home Bargains, keep it. If you have photos of the packaging taken before you discarded it, preserve those. If you no longer have any physical evidence of the product, a solicitor will advise on what alternative evidence is available — including your purchase history if you paid by card, and any medical records documenting the reaction. The FSA recall notice itself is in the public record and confirms the product was sold at those retailers with the specific labelling failure.
How much compensation could I receive for an allergic reaction to this product?
Compensation depends on the severity and duration of your reaction. The Judicial College Guidelines 17th Edition provide the framework courts use. For minor allergic reactions that resolve within a few weeks, figures under those guidelines typically start at around £1,500. For moderate reactions causing significant distress, anxiety about test results, and disruption to daily life, the range is higher. Severe anaphylactic reactions with hospitalisation, ongoing psychological impact, or long-term changes in eating and social behaviour attract the highest awards. Special damages — covering any financial losses such as medication costs, travel to appointments, or time off work — are added on top of the general damages figure. A specialist solicitor will assess the full picture once they know the facts of your case.
Does it make a difference that I bought this from a discount retailer rather than a specialist food shop?
No. The law makes no distinction between where a product is purchased. A retailer selling food in England — whether a specialist delicatessen or a national discount chain — is subject to the same legal obligations under the Food Information Regulations 2014. B&M and Home Bargains have the same duty to ensure that the products they place on sale carry compliant English allergen labelling as any other food retailer. The price point of the product and the type of store are irrelevant to your legal rights.