A Coulsdon fruit and veg wholesaler has been prosecuted by Croydon Council and ordered to pay more than £100,000 after serious food hygiene failings put customers’ health at risk.
Inspections by the Council’s food safety team at K Veg Wholesale Ltd, based in Ullswater Crescent, found shocking conditions, including pigeon droppings on food, rat droppings next to food and gnawed food in the warehouse.
Officers found very little evidence that proper care was being taken to protect food from pest infestation. Pest control measures were not in place, basic hygiene practices were not being followed and food was left unprotected.
The Council issued the business with multiple hygiene improvement notices following inspections, but these were not complied with.
K Veg Wholesale Ltd is a large importer and distributor supplying wholesalers, retailers and shops across the UK, meaning the failings had the potential to affect a significant number of people.
The case was heard at Croydon Magistrates’ Court, where the District Judge noted that the conditions found at the premises were highly likely to have resulted in customers experiencing ill health.
The company director, Mr Vettivelu Thiraviyathasan, pleaded guilty on behalf of the business. The company was ordered to pay a £100,000 fine, a victim surcharge of £2,000 and the Council’s full costs of £5,097.37, bringing the total penalty to £107,097.37.
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon, said:
“We are taking a zero-tolerance approach to businesses that put our residents’ health at risk through poor food hygiene standards.
“Our food safety team works hard to protect residents and support businesses to operate within the law. Where businesses ignore repeated warnings and fail to meet basic standards, we will take enforcement action and will not hesitate to prosecute.
“Residents deserve to feel proud and confident in the businesses serving their communities.”
This prosecution is part of the Council’s wider work to protect residents, uphold standards and take firm action against businesses that fail to meet their responsibilities.
