Fresh Direct, the award-winning foodservice supplier, has been ordered to pay more than £26,000 after failing to recycle enough packaging.
The Bicester-based firm admitted five offences of failing to register with the Environment Agency and five of failing to meet requirements to recover and recycle packaging waste between 2001-2005 at Bicester Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Fresh Direct chairman John Harris said: “We very much regret the outcome of this hearing, given that Fresh Direct is committed to a full recycling programme and is a company that, in turn, also encourages our suppliers to reduce their packaging requirements.
“We invest in and adopt a philosophy of continuous improvement to corporate social responsibility throughout all aspects of the business.”
Harris said Fresh Direct approached the Environment Agency in 2001 to seek guidance on securing full compliance at the time of moving its operations to Bicester.
But no response was received from the Environment Agency until January this year, he added.
“Upon learning of our non-compliance at this time, we immediately actioned a full audit with a group of specialists and subsequently fulfilled all obligations, with the Environment Agency granting us full compliance," said Harris.
“On more than one occasion we approached the Agency asking for guidance and confirmation that those procedures in place were accurate in fulfilling our obligations. We were subsequently told it was not the Agency’s duty to provide guidance or help with compliance.
“This regrettable situation could have been avoided had the Environment Agency responded to our ongoing requests and enquiries and we are extremely disappointed that we have been portrayed in a negative light in regard to issues that we have always ardently engaged in.”
Sue Gebbels, environment officer at the Environment Agency, told the Bicester Advertiser: “[Fresh Direct] has joined an Agency-accredited compliance scheme and co-operated with us throughout the investigation.”
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