Two Yorkshire retailers have been handed down large fines for non-compliance with European Community standards for quality and labelling.
Sarfraz Ahmed of Bradford Darbar Foods has been fined £4,500 after pleading guilty to a total of five separate breaches of EC marketing standards 14 November at Bradford Magistrates’ Court.
Ahmed offered 18 salad, fruit and exotic lines with 10-100 per cent rot. He was fined £900 for each offence plus prosecution and investigation costs of £4,494.91 were also imposed, giving a total liability of £8,994.91 plus the victims’ surcharge of £15.
The Rural Payments Agency operations director Paul Caldwell said: “We are committed to protecting the public and food producers. The agency’s Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate (HMI) operates a transparent, risk-based approach to enforcement. Our principal aim is to gain cooperation and compliance from the trade we regulate at all stages of the distribution chain. Prosecutions are only taken as a last resort when all other options of education and advice have been exhausted.”
Court action followed a series of risk-based enforcement visits and inspections, carried out by the HMI between June 2010 and January 2011 and followed by face-to-face meetings and advice.
And York greengrocer Gary Anderson, has been fined £1,500 after falling foul of theh same EC standards.
Anderson, owner of the business trading as Andersons of Acomb, pleaded guilty to five separate breaches of the standards on 17 November at York Magistrates’ Court relating to imported and UK fruit and vegetables which were all found on display and on offer for sale with up to 25 per cent rotten defects as well as two country of origin labelling defects. Anderson was fined £300 for each offence. Prosecution and investigation costs of £1,951.55 were also imposed giving a total liability of £3,451.55 plus the victim’s surcharge of £15.
Caldwell said: “Concerted efforts were made by the HMI to work closely with the retailer’s proprietor and staff with face-to-face meetings, verbal warnings and formal written notices, all aimed at achieving improved compliance from the company. Prosecution was a last resort in order to protect the public and other traders.”
