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Sainsbury’s Supermarket Limited pleaded guilty at Bromley Magistrates Court on 14 December 2011 to selling a loaf of bread with a broken knife blade in it.
The company received a fine of £3,350, and was made to pay costs of £3,600 to Bromley Council.
Bromley's Environmental Health Officers acted following a complaint received in October 2010, from a Bromley resident who found a metallic object in a large white sandwich loaf, baked at the Sainsbury's branch in Locksbottom.
The loaf of bread, along with two knives from the branch, were sampled by the Officers and then sent to the Public Analyst for forensic examination. The Analyst confirmed that the object was a three inch knife blade, and that it had been baked into the white sandwich loaf. He was also able to confirm that the knife blade was from the same type of knife used in the store.
On the strength the report and subsequent investigations, Bromley's Environmental Health Officers were satisfied that an offence had been committed and that they would prosecute the store.
Public Protection and Safety Portfolio Holder Cllr Tim Stevens said: "The Council's Food Safety Team works with more than 2000 food businesses in the borough to ensure that the highest standards are maintained. Prosecutions like this are quite rare but in this case it was proportionate to prosecute because this constituted a serious failure to protect food from contamination."
Ends
Notes the editors
- The offence was committed under section 14 of the Food Safety Act 1990 by selling food not of the substance demanded by the purchaser.
- For media enquiries, please contact Susie Clark in Corporate Communications, on 020 8461 7911 or email susie.clark@bromley.gov.uk
