Food labelling crime costs business thousands of pounds

Marcin Frankowski, of Polish food business Minidelikatesy Kubus Limited, was prosecuted at Chelmsford Magistrates Court earlier this month for selling food that was not labelled in English.

Trading Standards brought the prosecution because Frankowski refused to label food in English despite repeated warnings.

‘No action was taken’​

Roger Walters, councillor and cabinet member responsible for Trading Standards, said: “Essex County Council’s Trading Standards team took this case because the trader, selling mainly Polish produce, had been advised on numerous occasions but no action was taken to rectify the problems. ​

“If food is not labelled in English it means that the ultimate consumer of the food may not know what the food contains and would therefore pose a safety risk to consumers as they would not be able to avoid known allergens or heed other warnings which may be on the food.”​

Ordered to pay a total of £3,720​

Minidelikatesy Kubus Limited was ordered to pay a total of £3,720, comprising a fine of £2,250, costs of £1,350 costs and £120 victim surcharge.  

Frankowski was fined £700 and told to pay £100 costs and £70 victim surcharge.

Meanwhile, the Trading Standards Institute is taking part in the Food Manufacture Group’s free, one-hour webinar​ – Food Information to Consumers Regulation: what you need to know – at 11am GMT on Thursday 20 February.

Corinne Lowe, joint lead officer food and nutrition, Trading Standards Institute, will explain how the FIR is likely to affect food and drink manufacturers and retailers and how it is likely to be policed.

Lowe will be joined on the panel by speakers from Premier Foods, Campden BRI and DWF.

The full line will be:

Alasdair Tucker​, head of regulatory affairs at Premier Foods and chairman of the Food and Drink Federation’s Food Law & labelling Committee, on how one of Britain’s largest food manufacturers is preparing for the changes enshrined in the Food Information Regulation (FIR).

Steve Spice​, head of regulatory affairs at Campden BRI.

Corinne Lowe​, joint lead officer food and nutrition, Trading Standards Institute.

Dominic Watkins​, DWF, on the legal framework surrounding the new legislation.

Book your free place here​.

You can also put a question to our expert panel on our registration page or email it, in advance to Michael.stones@wrbm.com​.