Pret a Manger 'had nine similar allergic reactions in year before girl died'

The sandwich chain Pret a Manger did not list sesame seed as an ingredient on its “artisan” baguettes despite six incidents of allergic reactions in the year before a teenage schoolgirl died, an inquest into her death has heard.

Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, aged 15, who had numerous allergies, collapsed on a British Airways flight from London to Nice on 17 July 2016 after eating an artichoke, olive and tapenade baguette she bought at Heathrow airport’s Terminal 5.

West London coroner’s court has heard that sesame seed was an ingredient in the chain’s “artisan” or “posh” baguettes.

The inquest heard nine out of 21 allergic reactions recorded by Pret a Manger in the year prior to Natasha’s death involved sesame, six of them reportedly after those involved had eaten an artisan baguette. Four people went to hospital and one went to a medical centre.

Nine months before Natasha’s death, a 17-year-old girl had collapsed and required emergency medical attention after suffering a “life-threatening” reaction to sesame seed, which is baked into the bread dough.

When her mother, a GP, contacted Pret a Manger to inform them she was told that the allergen was not listed on the product. She warned them “other serious adverse incidents could easily occur”, Jeremy Hyam QC, for Natasha’s family, told the inquest.

Jonathan Perkins, the chain’s director of risk and compliance, told the inquest that after this incident Pret had carried out an investigation that found “appropriate signage and labelling [was] in place”, but after a review the decision was taken to “enhance the signage”.

Questioning Perkins, Hyam said: “There was a clear concern being repeatedly raised that artisan baguettes were causing a sesame seed allergy problem, which were not properly responded to by Pret.”

Perkins replied: “We responded appropriately to each individual complaint at the time.”

EU regulations require food companies to warn of allergy risks, either on signs, packaging or orally. Pret’s “made to sell” items, prepared at the chain’s on-site kitchens, did not have to display allergen ingredients on the product, Perkins confirmed. Information was supposed to be provided on a sticker on the fridge or counter containing the product, and on tills advising customers to ask staff for allergen details.

Natasha, from Fulham, south-west London, who was travelling with her father, Nadim Ednan-Laperouse, and her best friend, suffered a cardiac arrest despite two epipens being applied and receiving CPR from cabin crew and a junior doctor passenger, the inquest has heard. She was declared dead the same day at a Nice hospital.

Her father has claimed there was no labelling on the fridge at the time the baguette was bought.

Perkins was asked by Hyam: “Do you accept by reference of the public responsibility that Pret owed its customer in July 2016, Pret’s system was failing to ensure that there was adequate signposting to prevent allergen sufferers inadvertently purchasing products containing allergens?”

Perkins replied he did not accept Pret’s system was failing.

He added: “I accept that there are a number of individuals who have had a very negative experience and tragic experience, but I also look at all the customers and thousands of allergy sufferers who come through our doors and are able to shop safely.”

The inquest heard that out of the15 different types of baguettes sold at the chain, six of them were classed as “artisan”. Tens of millions were sold in the UK each year, Perkins said.

Asked why the chain labelled some products as dairy- or gluten-free, but not allergens such as sesame, he said that labelling was from a “dietary perspective”.

Perkins was asked by Oliver Campbell, QC for Pret, if he saw any risks attached to products having labels telling customers which allergens were present.

“The principal risk is the risk of mislabelling,” said Perkins. “Each time we put a wrong label on any product would be positively misleading on allergen content.”

Asked what could be learned from Natasha’s death, Perkins said: “We need to make [allergy policy] as simple as possible. We need to make it as consistent as possible – it cannot be one or the other.”

He added: “There is more that can be done and we are committed to doing more. My view is the improvements that we made are sound and just improvements, but we cannot stop improving.”

In his statement to the inquest, Natasha’s father asked: “How could it be that such a terrible thing could have happened when we were so careful with food?”

He had described how his daughter implored him “Daddy, help me ... I can’t breathe,” as she collapsed on the flight. Later, as she lay in hospital in Nice and he was told she would not survive, Nadim Ednan-Laperouse said he had raised the phone to her ear so that her mother and brother could say goodbye.

The inquest continues.