Cadbury is recalling thousands of Easter eggs after a labelling blunder that could cost the company millions.

The products, including its Mini Creme Eggs, do not carry the correct nut allergy warning.

The recall - just two months before Easter Sunday - follows a salmonella scare last year that cost the chocolate giant more than £30 million. The eggs were in batches on a line that also makes products with nuts in them.

Cadbury insisted the eggs were "perfectly safe" for people without nut allergies to eat, but said there was a "small risk" they may contain nuts. And this crucial warning was not stated on wrappers.

A company spokesman refused to speculate on the cost of the scare. Thayne Forbes, of brand valuation agency Intangible Business, warned it could be very damaging for the firm. He said: "This comes at a bad time when the public is particularly sensitive to health scares in food."

Last June more than a million Cadbury's choc bars were taken off shelves because of contamination at one of its plants. Sales dived afterwards.