Manchester supermarket hit with £20k fine for selling incorrectly labelled meats

A supermarket in Manchester that supplies meats to many of the nearby takeaways and restaurants has been fined £20k after its lamb mince was found to contain 50% beef.

Manchester Superstore (Rusholme) Limited was found guilty of selling food that was not of the nature demanded, with representatives of the firm failing to appear at a hearing held at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.

Following the investigation, the company was fined £20k and ordered to pay £1,676 in costs, as well as a victims of crime surcharge of £120.

The City Council’s Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, Councillor Nigel Murphy, said: “People have a right to know they are getting what they pay for.

“Let the size of the fine warn other unscrupulous traders that practices like this are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”

He added: “We will continue to clamp down on anyone who tries to cut costs by misleading the public and selling substitute food.”

The findings came as a series of inspections were carried out across the city last year in the wake of the horse meat scandal, with samples from a number of outlets sent for laboratory testing in an effort to combat food fraud.

A ‘lamb’ meat sample from a takeaway in Rusholme was found to be almost one-third (about 28%) beef. Managers of the eatery said they were oblivious to the true content of the meat, which was bought from Manchester Superstore.

In June last year, officers from Environmental Health visited Manchester Superstore and found it to be selling lamb mince that contained 80% beef.

Although the officers warned the supplier of the test results and instructed it to ensure all food being sold is described correctly, meat sampled following a further visit at the end of August was found to contain 50% beef and 1% chicken.

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