AN ALDI customer was left “sickened” after she allegedly bit into her “washed and ready to eat” salad instead but crunched down on “maggot larvae”.
Kaya Elliott from Stretford, Greater Manchester says she was “mortified” following her grim discovery on Saturday [6 Jun].
Aldi’s social media team later apologised to the mum-of-three, saying the salad was “not their usual standard.”
Kaya told how she purchased the £1.69 salad to make sandwiches, but got a lot more for her money when she discovered the creepy crawly inside.
Video shows the hard, spiky “larvae” that Kaya spat out.
The unidentified insect is around one and a half inches long and covered in a shell of some kind.
A picture of the salad’s packaging boasts how the contents are “washed and ready to eat”.
A revolted Kaya ,27, took to social media to warn other customers about her “horrifying” experience.
She posted pictures and video of the insect with the caption: “So tucking into my sandwich literally five minutes ago and I felt something hard in my mouth.
“This f****** maggot-looking vile creature thing was in my mouth.
“This was a fresh packet of salad I bought two days ago and opened today using two handfuls, one of each sandwich.
“This was purchased from Aldi Urmston. Never ever again will I buy packet salad again.
“Horrified it could have been the kids or I could have swallowed it without knowing.
“I’m gonna be marching into Aldi and on the phone to head office shortly. Horrified.
“Washed and ready to eat apparently.”
Kaya’s post prompted disgust from social media users.
Tracy Gray wrote: “Oh my god, I would literally be traumatised.”
Paula Bollingotn added: “ Oh my Lord Kaya that is horrific I buy a lot like this never again.”
And Natalie Mills said: “That’s just knocked me sick.”
Speaking today, florist Kaya said: “I was tucking into my sandwich and on the first bite I felt something strange.
“I spat my food out and as I looked I saw this spiky larvae looking thing inside the salad I had just been eating.
“I don’t know what it was, it looks like a maggot shell or moth larvae shell.”
I was absolutely mortified. I binned the sandwich and wrapped up the salad and strange creature, it’s disgusting.”
Aldi’s customer service team apologised to Kaya a few days later.
They assured her it was “not their usual standard” and asked her to send on details of the product.
Aldi reiterated their apology today.
An Aldi spokeswoman said: “Whilst very rare, this can occasionally occur with products that are grown in natural conditions.
“We have apologised to the customer and would encourage her to return the packaging to her nearest store for a full refund.”
