As a Muslim Customer, I Was Shocked by Mislabelled Bacon at Vida e Caffè Paddocks

I visited Vida e Caffè at Paddocks, Milnerton, this morning and had a very concerning experience that I believe needs to be addressed by management as soon as possible.

As a Muslim customer, I am aware that this particular Vida e Caffè is not halal-certified, so I usually order simple vegetarian items such as a coffee, cheese and tomato, or chickpea mayo sandwich options I trust to be safe and free from any non-halal ingredients.

However, during my visit today, I noticed something very alarming: a sandwich labelled as “Chicken Mayo with Macon and Mozzarella” was displayed. The word “Macon” is typically used to describe a halal, non-pork alternative to bacon — so naturally, one would assume it’s safe for those who avoid pork for religious or dietary reasons.

Out of curiosity and concern, I pointed this out to the staff, who then checked and confirmed that the product actually contained real bacon, not macon. They removed the sandwiches from display after I questioned it, which confirmed that it was indeed a labelling error.

While I appreciate that the staff took action once I raised the issue, this situation is deeply troubling. Such a mistake could easily mislead Muslim customers or anyone avoiding pork for health, allergy, or personal reasons into consuming something they would never choose to eat. Food labelling is not a small detail; it is a matter of trust, respect and customer safety!

I urge Vida e Caffè management at PADDOCKS MILNERTON to: 1. Investigate how this mistake happened, 2. Ensure staff are properly trained in food handling and labelling, 3. Implement stricter checks before any product goes on display, and 4. Be transparent with customers when such incidents occur.

This experience has left me very uneasy and disappointed I WONT EVER ORDER FROM HERE AGAIN AND NOR WILL I ORDER ONLINE I hope Vida e Caffè takes this feedback seriously and puts stronger controls in place to prevent this from ever happening again.