Warning issued over defective batch of SPC Ardmona whole peeled tomatoes recalled from supermarkets ‘due to a risk of injury when opening’

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

A potentially explosive batch of Australian tinned tomatoes has been pulled from supermarket shelves.

A packaging problem has been detected in a batch of 400g SPC Ardmona whole peeled vine-ripened tomatoes, causing increased pressure in the cans.

Customers have been warned there is a risk of injury when opening the cans, which are sold at Coles, Woolworths and IGA stores across the country.

The product recall comes after the federal government imposed “dumping duties” on competing brands of imported tomatoes after the anti-dumping commissioner found more than half of the tinned tomatoes imported from Italy had been sold for less than their value.

The dumping had cost SPC Ardmona sales, reduced its profits and cost employees their jobs, the anti-dumping commission said.

Italian tinned tomatoes prices to rise as all brands have 'dumping duties' imposed Read more

The tariff was applied to Feger and La Doria tinned tomatoes, which together account for at least 40% of the Italian tinned tomatoes exported to Australia. Both had been found to be exempt from an earlier government decision in April 2014 that had applied to 103 exporters.

That announcement means all brands of Italian tinned tomatoes are now subject to tariffs upon arrival in Australia.

The struggling Shepparton-based SPC Ardmona had been pushing for penalties on Italian tinned tomatoes for some time.



It received $22m from the Victorian government, headed by the then premier, Denis Napthine, in 2014 on the condition it would maintain a base workforce of at least 500 people. Its parent company, Coca-Cola Amatil, contributed a further $78m.

The managing director of SPC Ardmona, Reg Weine, told the ABC last month that SPC was investing $100m in new technology in order to make it “more efficient and innovative” and ruled out asking for another taxpayer-funded bailout again.

Any 400g tins of SPC tomatoes with the product code (on base of can) or TOM W/P 428580 007CM should be disposed of and buyers should contact SPC on 1800 805 168 for a refund.



• Australian Associated Press contributed to this report