A village shop owner was fined for selling fourteen food items past their use-by date, endangering public health.
Someone complained to the Rhondda Cynon Taf Council. Trading standards officers went to check things out. They found smoked ham, meatballs, and pasties that were two to three days past their date.
Two profiteroles were expired (one eight days, one day). Two pasta salads were four days past their date. A steak slice was three days past its date. Seven meatball packs and two smoked ham packs were both three days expired.
Regular checks could have prevented this. Twice-daily checks would have caught the errors. Officers recently fined another shop owner who sold food six months past its date.
Regulations say food must be safe, covering food law, safety, and labeling. It also includes traceability and recalls. Unsafe food cannot be sold to the public, and shops must remove such food from the market.
Mr. Singh admitted guilt and apologized, promising to prevent future incidents. The court fined him over £1,700, including a £500 fine, £1,028 in costs, and a £200 surcharge.
A council member said shops must sell safe food; use-by dates show how long food is safe. Shops should check dates and remove old items. This keeps consumers from getting sick.
Trading standards gives advice to food shops, and he added that most shops operate safely. This action should warn other businesses to follow food safety rules, or face the consequences.
To report expired food, call 0808 223 1133. Call 0808 223 1144 to report in Welsh. Visit rctcbc.gov.uk/TradingStandards for more information.