Spanish consumer authorities warn country's Primark stores to withdraw possible 'cancer-causing' flip-flops

The British headquarters of the Irish low-cost clothing chain recently announced a certain design of men's flip-flops were to be taken off the shelves due to the possible use of a chemical which is associated with the onset of cancer in large amounts.

Primark UK believes the beach shoes may contain 'dangerous' levels of crisene, an ingredient in some man-made fibres which is limited by law to one milligram (1mg) per kilo and which is believed to be present in larger quantities in the flip-flops.

The firm stresses that this is a one-off situation that 'does not reflect the company's usual standards' of production.

It is not thought that the flip-flops in question have been sold in Spanish branches of Primark – which are generally present only in major cities, including Madrid and Murcia – but AECOSAN, part of the national health ministry run by Dolors Montserrat, has instructed all stores in Spain to withdraw them if they find them on the shelves.

AECOSAN received the alert from the European Union, as have the other 27 member States, and has immediately contacted all Primark branches in Spain.

Anyone who has, in fact, bought a pair of the affected flip-flops in Spain should return them immediately to obtain a refund, and inform the store they came from so that staff are able to look out for them and take them off the shelves.