Tesco cabbage infested with creepy crawlies left couple ‘disgusted’

A couple were shocked to discover a heaving ‘grey mass’ of insects in the middle of a cabbage they had bought from Tesco – the day after they had cooked and eaten some it.

John Williams, 25, bought the 62p cabbage from his local Tesco in Ryde on the Isle of Wight.

He said his girlfriend Kaya Cook, 22, made the revolting discovery when she was preparing a stir-fry and the bugs started spilling out onto their kitchen counter.

Mr Williams, director of a web design company, told Mail Online: ‘I heard Kaya shouting in the kitchen: ‘Quick, come see this!’ and I shot up and ran straight out.

‘All these bugs were crawling all over the side. They even started flying around the kitchen. It was disgusting.’

Mr Williams added that some of the bugs had legs while others didn’t, and some of them even had wings. He said they were like ‘little flea-type things’.

Kaya Cook, 22, was shocked to find dozens of creepy crawlies falling from the cabbage when she was preparing it for a stir fry. She immediately screamed for her partner John Williams

The 62p 'fresh greens 'cabbage Mr Williams bought from Tesco in Ryde on the Isle of Wight

The 62p ‘fresh greens ‘cabbage Mr Williams bought from Tesco in Ryde on the Isle of Wight

John Williams, 25, described how the 'grey mass' dropped all over the couple's kitchen counter

John Williams, 25, described how the ‘grey mass’ dropped all over the couple’s kitchen counter

The 'Fresh Greens' range is sold in Tesco. The couple's infested cabbage was sourced in Cornwall. They ate two outer leaves before finding the bugs the next day when making dinner

The ‘Fresh Greens’ range is sold in Tesco. The couple’s infested cabbage was sourced in Cornwall. They ate two outer leaves before finding the bugs the next day when making dinner

He said the couple hadn’t bothered checking the middle of the cabbage – which they had bought four days earlier – because they’d eaten some of it the night before and it ‘seemed fine’.

It was when John inspected further that he found a ‘bizarre grey mass’ that was moving.

He said: ‘The scary thing is that we ate some of the cabbage the day before. We usually just chop it up and throw it in the pan but we’ll check all vegetables and such very closely before preparing them since this has happened.

Kaya Cook, 22, (left) found the bugs spilling out of their Tesco-bought cabbage before screaming for her boyfriend John Williams, 25, (right) to come investigate

Kaya Cook, 22, (left) found the bugs spilling out of their Tesco-bought cabbage before screaming for her boyfriend John Williams, 25, (right) to come investigate

‘I dread to think how many people this has happened to without them even knowing.’

Mr Williams said he took the cabbage back to the Tesco branch and was refunded the 62p he had paid for it.

He also reported the distressing discovery to Tesco’s feedback team before also going back to the store, but was not impressed by the company’s response.

Tesco's customer care team told John to return the infected cabbage to the store in Ryde

Tesco’s customer care team told John to return the infected cabbage to the store in Ryde

The inner part of the Tesco cabbage they bought was completely covered with small insects

The inner part of the Tesco cabbage they bought was completely covered with small insects

Mr Williams said after the bugs spilled out onto the counter some of them began flying around

Mr Williams said after the bugs spilled out onto the counter some of them began flying around

The couple were worried that they may have ingested some of the bugs when they used the lettuce for a meal the day before they made the grim discovery

The couple were worried that they may have ingested some of the bugs when they used the lettuce for a meal the day before they made the grim discovery

He said: ‘They sent me back some standardised response saying they’d investigate, no sorry or nothing. I may as well have been talking to a robot.’

‘I want an explanation, I wanted to know how this happened. It was a crazy amount of bugs and eggs.’

A Tesco spokesperson said: ‘We’re very sorry to hear about this incident. We have apologised to Kaya and our team are carrying out a thorough investigation. 

‘We have robust food quality processes in place and take great care preparing our products.’

Mr Williams said some of the white insects had legs while others didn't, but had wings instead

Mr Williams said some of the white insects had legs while others didn’t, but had wings instead

The couple, from the Isle of Wight, say they will definitely check all vegetables before use now

The couple, from the Isle of Wight, say they will definitely check all vegetables before use now

 



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