A vegan student was brought to tears after tucking into what she thought was a Greggs vegan sausage roll as she realised it was actually the meat version.

Sharleen Ndungu said was only offered a £2 refund – the price of the roll – as a token gesture by Greggs staff despite the blunder causing her to ‘burst into tears’.

The student revealed the mishap on social media, explaining the experience gave her heart palpitations. 

“If I was allergic to pork or any of the ingredients that were inside that dirty sausage, I literally could have died,” she said in a video.

“Some people, namely meat-eaters, might think I’m over exaggerating but I could have died.”

She then called head office and was offered a £30 voucher, which she rejected. 

“I asked for a public apology to make people aware they should watch out for things like this,” Ndungu said.

“It’s my choice not to consume meat because it causes cancer. That choice has been taken away from me.”

Vegan Greggs sausage rolls are distinguishable from the meat version from the pattern drawn on its pastry. 

The meat version features short diagonal lines across the surface, while the vegan sausage roll has a more detailed, horizontal pattern and is lighter in colour.

Greggs said the company is investigating the incident.

A spokesperson said: “We have apologized to the customer for this incident. We are investigating to ensure this situation can be avoided in the future.”

• Read: Vegans angry with UK supermarket for replacing bacon with carrot in BLT sandwiches

Have you ever been served meat instead of a vegan option? Share your experiences in the comments section below!

Oli Gross

Oli’s career and personal ethical values both help shape his reporting of the diverse world of veganism. His background is in local newspaper and magazine journalism, and his work has included reporting court cases, celebrity interviews, business analysis, food and drink features and government legislation.

See author's posts