Teenager's Death After Hot Chocolate Spurs Calls for Allergy Awareness

The mother of a teenage girl who died from an allergic reaction after drinking a Costa hot chocolate has spoken out about her grief and called for improved awareness of food allergies. Abimbola Duyile told BBC Breakfast that she lies awake at night wondering if she could have prevented her daughter Hannah's death.

Hannah, 13, had a severe dairy allergy and died within hours of taking a sip of the hot chocolate on 8 February 2022. Ms Duyile has called for the government to increase awareness of the importance of EpiPens and their correct use. She also wants to see better communication and training on allergies within the hospitality industry.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson has stated that ministers will "carefully consider" the views of allergy experts and any recommendations made by the coroner at Hannah's inquest.

The inquest concluded earlier this month that Hannah's death was due to a "failure to follow the processes in place to discuss allergies" and a "failure of communication" between Costa Coffee staff and Hannah’s mother.

Hannah and her mother had purchased a hot chocolate from a Costa Coffee branch in Barking, east London. Ms Duyile claims she ordered two soya hot chocolates, a claim disputed by the coffee shop worker who prepared the drinks during the inquest. She also requested that the equipment be cleaned before use.

However, the inquest heard that the hot chocolate may have been made with cow's milk and Ms Duyile was not shown a book listing the ingredients of the drink. After taking a single sip, Hannah became unwell in a dentist surgery and exclaimed, "That was not soya milk." Ms Duyile rushed her daughter to a pharmacy, where she collapsed.

A post-mortem examination revealed that Hannah died from a hypersensitive anaphylactic reaction triggered by an ingredient in the hot chocolate. Evidence was also presented during the inquest from Costa employees about their online allergen training. One employee admitted to failing the online quiz 20 times before passing.

"Everybody needs to change their ways," Hannah's mother told the BBC. "If you're training somebody, they can't understand the allergen information on the company website and it's taken them 20 times to do it over again, you need to ask yourself, '[is] something off here?' Your staff should know what goes in everything. This should be a common basic thing. Every single person [in] restaurants, coffee shops need to know."

Ms Duyile described her world as being "turned upside down" by Hannah’s death. "Most nights I stay awake thinking maybe there is something I could have done differently... maybe carrying an EpiPen with me."

Hannah was described as "a bright child, funny, full of life" who "loved Christmas and her birthdays." "She [would] have been an amazing adult," Ms Duyile said.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is developing best practice guidance on the provision of allergen information, both in writing and verbally. They hope to consult on the guidance in October, with publication planned for early 2025.

In a statement, a Costa Coffee spokesperson said Hannah's death was a "tragedy" and offered their "heartfelt thoughts" to her family and friends. They stated that they have "strict allergy training and procedures in place" but acknowledged that "our allergen process was not followed that day at our franchise partner store." Costa has committed to reviewing its staff training and is working with the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation to raise awareness about allergies.

This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the importance of thorough allergen training, clear communication, and readily available resources for people with allergies. It highlights the need for a cultural shift within the hospitality industry to ensure that everyone is equipped to handle allergens with the utmost care and respect.