Shoppers across the UK are being urged to check their fridges after a warning was issued over certain batches of milk.
The concern is that some medicine meant for animals, including a type of antibiotic, may have accidentally ended up in the milk during production. Anyone who has bought the affected bottles is being told not to drink it, and to take it back to the shop for a full refund instead. Here’s everything worth knowing about the recall.
Certain batches of milk have been recalled.
Graham’s Family Dairy is recalling several sizes of its semi-skimmed milk after veterinary medicine, including a form of penicillin, was found in the product. The company issued the recall as a precaution, since even a small trace of this medicine could potentially cause a reaction in anyone with an allergy to antibiotics.
The affected bottles all carry a best before date of 31 July 2026, and cover three different pack sizes sold across UK supermarkets. Anyone with one of these bottles at home is being asked to stop drinking it straight away.
Three specific products are affected.
The recall covers Graham’s Family Dairy Semi Skimmed Milk in three sizes, a one pint bottle, a one litre bottle, and a two litre bottle, all sharing the same 31 July 2026 best before date. Any bottle matching this description falls under the recall, regardless of which shop it was bought from.
The company has been clear that no other products or best before dates from Graham’s Family Dairy are impacted by this issue. This means shoppers only need to check for these three specific items rather than worrying about their entire milk supply.
The company has apologised and explained why it’s acting.
In its official recall notice, Graham’s Family Dairy said the quality of its products and the safety of its customers matters more than anything else, which is exactly why it’s asking people not to drink the affected milk. The company described the recall as a precautionary step, taken because a small trace of antibiotics might be present, which could trigger a reaction in anyone allergic to them.
The dairy apologised directly to customers for the inconvenience, while reassuring shoppers that every other product they make remains completely unaffected. Anyone with questions has been directed to get in touch through the company’s official website for further information.
Shops will display notices explaining the recall.
The Food Standards Agency has confirmed that point of sale notices will appear in every store currently selling the affected milk, along with information posted on retailer websites too. These notices are designed to explain clearly why the product has been recalled and exactly what customers should do if they’ve already bought it. The consistent messaging across stores means shoppers should be able to spot the warning fairly easily, whether they’re checking in person at the supermarket or browsing online before heading out to shop.
Getting a refund is straightforward.
Anyone who has purchased one of the affected bottles is simply asked to avoid drinking it and instead take it back to wherever it was originally bought. A full refund will be given, regardless of whether the bottle has already been opened or not. There’s no need to provide a receipt or proof of purchase in most cases, since supermarkets handling product recalls like this one typically process refunds quickly and without extra hassle for the customer.
This follows another recent food safety warning.
This isn’t the only food related warning to hit UK shoppers recently, either. Waitrose issued a separate alert this week concerning a different food item, after concerns emerged that it might contain small pieces of plastic or metal. Seeing two separate food safety warnings appear within such a short space of time is a useful reminder to stay alert to official recall notices, and to check any recently purchased groceries against them when they’re announced.
What to do if you have any of the affected milk
If you’ve bought a bottle of Graham’s Family Dairy Semi Skimmed Milk with a best before date of 31 July 2026, in any of the three affected sizes, the advice is simple. Don’t drink it, and take it back to the store you bought it from for a full refund instead.
If you’re at all unsure whether your particular bottle is affected, checking the pack size and best before date against the details listed here should make it easy to confirm. When in doubt, returning the milk to the shop is always the safest option.
