Tesco fined for mouldy food

Wimbledon magistrates have fined Tesco £25,000 for selling mouldy food and failing to stop rats gnawing at produce in a south-west London store.

The retailer was taken to court by the London borough of Merton after environmental health officers found problems at a branch in New Malden.

Officials complained of a long history of problems at the store and said Tesco had failed to act on environmental health officers’ advice.

A Tesco spokesman said: “Our daily procedures and checks are of the highest standards in the industry. In this case, the store in question was undergoing a major refit which led to some isolated problems that have now been dealt with.”