Who should I tell if I find........?
- A worm in my sandwich.
- Glass in packet of cereal.
- A fly in my cake.
or
The food which I bought is wrongly described eg:
- Coley sold as cod.
- Food which is sold when it has passed its use by date.
Report the matter as soon as possible to:-
The manager of the shop where it was purchased.
or
Your local Environmental Health or Trading Standards Department.
Environmental Health
- If the food is unfit, e.g. rotten meat, food has made you ill or if you find something which should not be there, e.g. a fly.
Trading Standards
- Trading Standards deal with food which is wrongly described in relation to quality or quantity.
What should I do?
While events are fresh in your mind, you should make an account of the purchase.
Include the following:-
- Date of purchase.
- Time of purchase.
- Place of purchase.
- Use by date/best before date.
- Who bought the food.
- Who discovered the problem.
- Who ate the food.
- Keep any packaging.
- Keep the food in an appropriate place, e.g. fridge or freezer, until it can be collected by or delivered to the appropriate Authority.
Speedy action is very important in cases of unfit food, e.g. mould. The longer you wait the harder it is to prove that it was bad when you bought it.
What we can do
- We can inspect the food.
- Check the shop from where it was bought.
- Send the food for examination.
- Where possible, the manufacturers premise may be inspected to check what steps have been taken to prevent the food from becoming contaminated.
What we cannot do
- Obtain compensation on your behalf.
- Return the food to you after examination as it may be destroyed during analysis.
Will it cost me anything?
NO. All legal costs are paid for by the Authority.
What else will I have to do?
- You may be asked to make a legal statement.
- You may have to appear in Court as a witness if legal action is taken.
If you would like further information please contact the Commercial and Food Team on 01284 757054 or email Food and Safety Team food&safety@stedsbc.gov.uk
or
Trading Standards Service (Consumer Direct) on 08454 04 05 06 or www.consumerdirect.gov.uk
