UK supermarket found guilty of food safety violations: Company, director and manager prosecuted

According to South Wales Argus, a supermarket in Newport called Newport Foodway Supermarket, run by the company Berzan LMT,has been found guilty of committing some serious offences which put the health and safety of their customers in jeopardy.

Along with the company, its manager and director have been sentenced for 26 offences of selling food past the expiry date and 1 offence related to misleading labelling in their food.

Selling products past expiry date

Expiry dates are targeted at sellers and retailers and indicate the shelf life of the product. Violation of displayed expiry dates is punishable by law since the food can be unsafe for consumption.

In April 2021, a customer lodged a complaint against the supermarket to Newport City Council’s trading standards team, after he brought food from the shop that gave him food-poisoning. The food turned out to be out-of-date.

An inspection was conducted which found 6 products on sale which were out-of-date. The store manager assured the inspectors that the store would be closed and any unsafe products would be removed.

However, a second inspection unveiled that the store was still selling 47 items with expired use-by dates along with honey that had been mislabelled as organic. A follow up visit found more items with expired use-by dates.

The manager and director pled guilty on all counts

For the offences, the company Berzan LMT of Clytha Park Road, has been fined £16,000 and ordered to pay costs of £800 and a surcharge of £190 at the city’s magistrates’ court.

The director, Ali Ceylan, was ordered a 200 hours unpaid community service and ordered to pay costs of £800 and a surcharge of £95. The manager, Aydin Atmali, also received 180 hours unpaid community service and ordered to pay costs of £800 and a surcharge of £95

South Wales Argus quoted Councillor James Clarke, cabinet member for strategic planning, regulation and housing as saying,

Shops have a responsibility to make sure that what they sell is safe and does not pose a risk to the health of their customers. Most take that responsibility seriously, but we will take action against those who do not.

This business showed a blatant disregard for their customers and went on selling food items past their use-by date even after our first inspection and warning.

Sources:

- South Wales Argus: 'Newport supermarket prosecuted for selling unsafe food'

- Food Standards Agency: 'Best before and use-by dates'

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