Both of New Zealand's two major supermarket companies have now had contaminated sugar mistakenly sold after it made its way onto supermarket shelves after a recall.
Several Countdowns have mistakenly sold recalled sugar. Photo: RNZ / Conan Young
The affected products were part of a recall issued earlier this month but were mistakenly dispatched from one of Countdown's distribution centres.
Photo: Supplied / MPI
Woolworths New Zealand, which owns the Countdown supermarket chain, is recalling two brands of soft brown and raw sugar products because of what it says is low-level lead contamination.
Foodstuffs, New Zealand's other major supermarket company, also released contaimnated sugar for sale last week after the recall.
Woolworths says Chelsea and Countdown branded raw sugar and brown sugar products bought Thursday or Friday from any Countdown, SuperValue or FreshChoice store in the South Island and from Countdowns in Petone, Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt are affected.
The Countdown supermarket is doing an urgent investigation into how the contaminated sugar mistakenly made its way onto supermarket shelves.
Countdown said food safety is its utmost priority.
It said the risk to customers is low, and they can return the products for a full refund.
New Zealand Food Safety has also said the immediate risk from the sugar is low.