"Gesture of goodwill" payment

[lucca]

Not sure where to post this question but here goes:-
My son found a sharp object in a sausage roll - it scratched his mouth. It looked like a small piece of bone. I sent it off to the very large, famous company that made it. Today I received a long apologetic letter, confirming it was bone, with the usual "we have very high standards etc etc". Enclosed were postal orders to the value of £8 as "a gesture of goodwill". My son is hopping mad. I'm not sure what I think. Comments appreciated.

[Count-A-Strong]

Did you copy the letter to trading standards? If not you don't really have any leverage to extract any more compensation. You can buy quite a few sausage rolls with £8.

[factor-fiction]

Seems about right to me, unless he didn't need hospital treatment.
What do you think he should have been given?
You could always try writing back and asking for more but I don't think I would.

[lucca]

I honestly don't know - I'm not part of the "compo culture" mentality and really sent it to them as I was concerned. Thanks for your thoughts.

[237SJ]

It sounds like they are offering to pay you off in the belief that you won`t sue them for more money. It would cost you to take them to court so they are trading on the possibilty that you won`t be bothered/can`t afford it. If the event didn`t cause any long term damage I would personally question whether taking the company to court is worth the hastle to be honest.

[Mamyalynne]

I am more astonished that a very large company is using postal orders LOL
As you have parted with the evidence I would put it behind you.

[Greedyfly]

Write back and tell them you are not happy with their response and keep a copy of all correspondence and I would also contact trading standards. Although I am sure because the item found was bone and not say a fingernail it shall be put down to the fact that meat contains bones etc...

[naomi24]

What was your son expecting?

[4getmenot]

seems ok to me, he was hospitalised and it wasnt a bit of factory equipment, it was bone, part of the meat. You lucky you got that. x

[tamborine]

blimey....you should pay them, for teaching your son that sausages come from animals.

[carmalee]

frankly I think £8 is insulting - far better just a genuinely apologetic letter and nothing. I'd send it back but I know I'm odd!

[4getmenot]

when I get a bit of gristle in a pie, I dont think about compo, I just think 'I aint buying those pies again'

[micmak]

I got a hook shaped bone in a pack of fish in sauce. I did complain. The answer was "fish contain bones". They did send me some vouchers though for their products. I now notice it says on the box that it cannot guarantee the product is bone free.

[4getmenot]

when I was young mum had bought some of them rolls you bake in oven when I bit in it there was a glass tube going right through it. We had an inspector come to house, was a bit that had fallen of machinery and think we got free bread for a month or something

[hc4361]

Sounds fair enough to me. You can help your son's health by explaining to him that the machine failed to grind that bit of bone into an acceptable 'paste' for his sausage roll.
Hopefully it will put him off the horrid things.

[lucca]

Thank you all for your replies. Lol at some of them! I think it was a bit of an insulting amount really but won't take it further. As I said, I'm not a compo seeker - just a bit surprised, that's all. Yes, they did say "meat has bone" but didn't mention what kind of floor sweepings etc go into the rolls as well! Am glad they didn't send vouchers for more! Haven't seen a postal order for 20 years!

[joko]

it seems odd that it was £8..not just an even tenner...but i agree, many people get excited by this sort of thing, imagining hundreds of pound of compo...unless the item pierced his cheek or something merely finding something unexpected does not warrant compensation

I once opened a bottle with an opener and cut my lip on the rim... a small ring of g;ass off the top of the bottle had come right off with the lid

i got an apology and a £10 voucher

[Mully79]

I once bought some fig rolls from Morrisons. I was chewing on one for a long time, thought it odd then realised that most of the fig bit was a thick blue plastic wrapping. I sent it back with a letter, partially out of disgust (I was gagging when I realised!) and also because it could have been more horrific had my toddler tried to eat it (I was thinking she could have choked on it etc.). They replied and said they were investigating, and gave me a £10 voucher as part of their apology. I then received a couple of subsequent letters detailing their investigation - it turned out to be part of the packaging of one of their ingredients that had fallen into the mix. Accidents do happen, I accept that, and I thought they were very thorough in dealing with it, and good of them to keep me informed. I didn't buy any more fig biscuits for several years afterwards though and I still get paranoid now!

[sara3]

I found a large, sharp, metal hook in an M&S prawn sandwich a couple of years ago.. flowers, wine and a voucher for £75!

I think it could have been a very nasty incident, and I did actually crunch it with my teeth. it still turns my stomach thinking about it.

[Nosha123]

"sara3"

FLIPPIN 'ECK!!! Thats really awful!!!

Some food goes through metal detectors for just this reason! I know McVities do that!