Shoppers want more information about needles in Papakura Woolworths

By Finn Blackwell of RNZ

A South Auckland community is on tenterhooks after needles were reportedly found in food products at a local supermarket yesterday.

Needles were discovered in two different food products from Woolworths in Papakura yesterday.

Police are investigating, and the affected products have been removed from shelves, but New Zealand Food Safety is refusing to name the actual products.

Locals outside the Woolworths supermarket in Papakura on Thursday have been on edge.

“Very concerning,” one shopper said.

“There’s a lot of kids, it’s going to be really dangerous for them.”

Most said they did not check their groceries for hazards after taking them home from the store, unless there had been damage to the product’s packaging.

Woolworths New Zealand told RNZ they were treating the discovery extremely seriously, and working closely with Food Safety and the police.

New Zealand Food Safety has given no details as to what the food products are.

Deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said the full facts had not yet been established.

“There are two products subject to complaints. We are not naming the products as inquiries are ongoing and affected product has already been removed from shelves.

“There is no evidence, at this time, that any other products have been implicated.”

Shoppers spoken to by RNZ thought Food Safety should name the products, so customers could be on the lookout.

“We can’t tell if it’s like fruits or whatever,” said one man.

Papakura Local Board chairman Brent Catchpole went shopping at the same supermarket yesterday afternoon.

“I bought a loaf of bread,” he said.

“Whether the needles are in loaves of bread, I don’t know, but I will certainly be very careful when I open that packet of bread.”

Catchpole encouraged residents to be vigilant.

“Just be aware that there could be some contamination of some sort with a needle.

“We just don’t know at this stage, with what the products are, but anybody that was shopping there, please be careful.

“Don’t just hand something over to a child to eat without checking it first.”

New Zealand Food Safety said they were reviewing CCTV footage from the store, and food safety officers were onsite to support the investigation.

Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.