A Tesco customer has spoken of his shock and distress after allegedly discovering a live cockroach inside his sandwich while eating a meal deal, leaving him so traumatised he avoided food entirely for several days. The unsettling incident reportedly occurred in Preston and has sparked calls for a thorough investigation into Tesco’s food safety protocols from both the customer and concerned members of the public.
Adil Vasaya, a 41-year-old Post Office manager from Bolton, had bought a chicken tikka and mango chutney sandwich, a packet of Walkers Max Flame Grilled crisps, and a Mountain Dew drink from Tesco’s Preston Superstore on Saturday, 5 July. Vasaya recounted that, shortly after taking a bite of the sandwich, he sensed something unusual in his mouth—a sensation he initially mistook for a large spice or unusual ingredient, possibly a piece of cinnamon.
To his horror, Vasaya soon realised the reality was far more disturbing. “As I moved the sandwich away, I saw legs poking out and saw that it was moving. It completely freaked me out,” he told reporters, conveying the shock of witnessing a live insect in his lunch. The experience, according to Vasaya, prompted immediate nausea and panic.
Vasaya quickly spat out the sandwich and rushed upstairs to dispose of the contaminated portion in the toilet. Still shaken, he and his wife made their way back to the supermarket to alert staff and return the remaining packaging. According to Vasaya, his complaint resulted in a reimbursement of only £1.76, which reflected the price of the sandwich removed from his meal deal. Somewhat unusually, two Clubcard points were also deducted from his Tesco loyalty card.
Reflecting on the days following the ordeal, Vasaya said he struggled to eat as the thought of having bitten into a live cockroach repeatedly haunted him. “It literally traumatised me. For four days I couldn’t bring myself to put anything in my mouth,” he revealed. The incident has clearly left an emotional impact that extends well beyond the initial shock.
Tesco, for its part, has responded by confirming it is conducting a comprehensive investigation into how the incident could have occurred. A spokesperson for the retail giant said, “We’re sorry to hear about this. We work closely with our suppliers to ensure robust quality procedures are in place and that sandwiches are thoroughly checked throughout production.” Tesco maintains it encourages customers to return tainted products so the matter can be fully investigated at both store and supply chain levels.
Despite these reassurances, Vasaya expressed his dissatisfaction with Tesco’s handling of the situation. He claimed he received no substantive follow-up or explanation after his initial complaint. The customer is now calling for a transparent inquiry to determine precisely how a live cockroach might have found its way into a sealed supermarket sandwich.
Food safety is a priority for all major supermarkets, and incidents such as these can raise significant concerns among consumers about quality control in mass food production. While isolated, the ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the importance of rigorous checks at every stage of processing, packaging, and handling.
Such reports inevitably spark wider debate about supermarket standards and the transparency of food safety investigations, especially when incidents have the potential to damage consumer trust. As for Vasaya, he hopes that sharing his experience will prompt greater accountability and prevent anything similar from affecting others in the future.
The company has yet to provide an update on the source of the insect or publish its findings. In the meantime, the incident continues to circulate widely—underscoring the importance of vigilance in the food supply chain and the real emotional toll food safety incidents can have on everyday consumers.