HR strawberries Fragaria

Strawberries found on sale at the supermarket were unfit for human consumption

A supermarket owner has been hit with a £15,000 fine for selling rotten fruit, and vegetables with inaccurate country-of-origin labels.

Sabh Singh, of SSA Wholesale Cash and Carry in Fishponds Road, Bristol, admitted multiple offences relating to displaying and offering for sale fresh fruit and vegetables that did not comply with European Union marketing standards for quality and labelling at Bristol Magistrates' Court last Wednesday (18 September). He was sentenced on Friday.

Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate (HMI) inspectors visited the store in February, and discovered ten offences. A further visit in March identified 17 product displays that were non-compliant with EU marketing standards.

These visits followed a period of almost two years in which inspectors had provided regular guidance and advice to Mr Singh to help him meet the requirements of the regulations.

Among the fruit and vegetables in question were rotten strawberries, nectarines and peas; withered and dehydrated limes; aubergines and mushrooms with the incorrect country of origin stated; and melons, oranges, parsnips, beetroot and broccoli with no country of origin stated.

As a result of the breaches, Mr Singh was fined £5,000 for the offences in February, and a further £5,000 for the March offences. Costs of £5,200 were awarded and a victim’s surcharge of £120 was added, bringing the total penalty and costs to £15,320.

Rural Payments Agency (RPA) operations director Paul Caldwell, said: “It is clearly important for consumers to know that they are buying good quality and accurately labeled fresh produce.

“RPA will take all necessary steps to protect the public and ensure that consumers can buy fruit and vegetables with confidence.

“We always try to gain compliance with quality and labeling regulations through targeted advice, guidance and instruction but when that fails we will not hesitate in prosecuting persistent offenders.”