Tesco is selling us ‘forever chemicals’

The UK’s biggest supermarket is profiting while selling us food containing ‘forever chemicals’, and keeping customers in the dark. It’s time to stop Tesco selling us toxic food.   

You may have heard about PFAS, also known as ‘forever chemicals’. These toxic substances don’t break down naturally, and have been linked to serious health concerns, from damaging our immune systems to increasing the risk of multiple types of cancer. 

Scientists have long been sounding the alarm about the serious risks of PFAS, and public concern is growing. But up until now, no research has assessed the extent that forever chemicals are present in our food. 

That’s why we took a range of everyday meat, dairy and fish products sold by the UK’s biggest supermarket – Tesco – to be tested at the University of Birmingham’s state-of-the-art PFAS laboratory. 

The result? Every single product contains toxic forever chemicals. 

Every little hurts 

Tesco claims that it is ‘committed to helping customers, communities and the planet’. 

But our results make it clear: The supermarket giant is selling food products that could carry serious health risks, with no transparency or health warnings. 

Several of the items tested – including family favourites such as fish, tinned hot dogs, and turkey sausages – contained especially worryingly high levels of PFAS. 

A national scandal 

Tesco receives more than £1 in every £10 spent by the British public in retail – and its boss, Ken Murphy, has previously taken home nearly £10 million in a single year. 

Tesco is profiting whilst putting its customers at risk. 

And supermarkets are well aware of this issue. Back in 2021, Tesco ignored a petition signed by almost 12,000 people urging supermarkets to remove PFAS from their food packaging. Meanwhile, other supermarkets have made commitments to phase out PFAS, and to investigate further. 

Take action with us 

Tesco must urgently recall the products found to contain high levels of PFAS, and tell its customers how it will ensure the safety of its food products going forward. 

The UK government recently published a plan to take action on PFAS. We believe this plan needs to hold supermarkets including Tesco accountable. 

We’re demanding that Tesco urgently reviews its food safety standards, and commits to eradicating harmful levels of PFAS from its food products. 

Take a couple of minutes to contact Tesco using our email template, and tell Tesco boss Ken Murphy that we won’t accept forever chemicals in our food.