Here is a story that does not seem to have appeared on the forum (it's rather scary):
Tesco Stores Ltd has been ordered to pay fines exceeding £31,000 after selling a baguette containing insulation foam to a customer at its Norwich branch.
Sam Avery, who bought the baguette at Tesco Metro in Norwich in August 2004, found a large piece of foam had been baked into the surface of the bread.
An investigation by Norwich City Council EHOs led to the successful prosecution of the supermarket. Entering a guilty plea at Norwich magistrates court, Tesco admitted ‘selling food not of the substance demanded by the purchaser'. The company was fined £15,000, with costs of £15,944. Mr Avery was awarded £250 in compensation.
Presenting the case for the prosecution, Clair Dobbin explained that Tesco had failed to spot the foam during the baking process despite it being clearly visible.
In mitigation, counsel for the defence offered Tesco's ‘profound apologies' to Mr Avery, pointing out that Tesco sold 26 million baguettes every year without any similar problems normally being reported. A Tesco spokesperson said: ‘The sale by this company of products not of the quality demanded is something it tries diligently to avoid and is profusely sorry when it does occur. ‘The company has written to Mr Avery expressing our apologies to him and enclosing vouchers to the value of £100.'
Passing sentence, District Judge Browning criticised Tesco for its delay in entering a guilty plea, noting the ‘public waste' which resulted from its ‘delay and prevarication'. He said the apology and £100 of vouchers Tesco had offered Mr Avery ‘rang hollow'.
Jaan Stanton, investigating officer for Norwich City Council, said: ‘The fine of £15,000 is the largest in the city for a single foreign body found in food and reminds companies they must take their responsibilities to the consumer seriously.' The case coincided with the start of National Food Safety Week.
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