Morrisons apologises for 'non-EU' salt and pepper food label amid threats of a boycott

Morrisons has apologised after customers threatened to boycott it over a food label that said its chicken was seasoned with "non-EU salt and pepper".

The supermarket said the "non-EU" wording on its salt and pepper chicken crown product was the result of an "error" and promised it would change the label "immediately".

The apology came after Twitter user "Lee Williscroft-Ferris" said he was prepared to boycott Morrisons forever over the wording.

He said: "Tell me Morrisons that this is not real. Your response will dictate whether or not I ever shop at your stores again."

It took three hours for the supermarket's social media team to offer an apology - in that time thousands of social media users reacted.

Among the thousands of comments and quote-tweets were dozens of furious Morrisons customers joining Mr Williscroft-Ferris's calls that it may be time for people to find a new supermarket.

One user said they "won’t be shopping in Morrisons any more" if the label is "real", while another said they had already decided to stop shopping in the supermarket.

They wrote: "I’m done with shopping Morrisons . I can live with union flags on bananas, but the gratuitous slight on the EU is too much."

In an apparent bid to prevent a boycott, the supermarket replied to several posts, telling the disgruntled customers: "The wording on the packaging is an error for which we apologise. We are changing the packaging immediately."

In a statement provided to ITV News, the supermarket insisted it was not attempting to make political points with the wording of its packaging.

It said: "Our chicken label is adhering to British packaging regulations, however we will be redesigning it to make it clear this is not a political commentary."