A branch of the discount store Poundworld has been fined almost £1.2 million after inspectors found an ‘out of control’ infestation of mice.
Council food safety officers found the shop, which sells many of its products for a pound or less, was dirty and littered with mouse droppings, gnawed food packaging on display and rodent urine and faeces found in a stock room.
Some of the products with gnawed packaging had been ‘repaired’ with adhesive tape and returned to the shop shelves to be sold as normal.
A branch of the discount store Poundworld in Croydon, south London, has been fined almost £1.2 million after inspectors found an ‘out of control’ infestation of mice in the stock room (image shows mice droppings surrounding products that may have been sold in the store)
The store in Croydon, south London, has now been fined the sum after admitting five food safety offences and two breaches of health and safety at work regulations.
Judge Smaller, sentencing at Croydon Crown Court on Friday, said: ‘The smell of rodents’ urine was discernible upon immediate approach to the food section of the store.’
The company were fined £660,000 for the food safety offences, and £500,000 for one of the health and safety at work offences – with no separate penalty for the second.
Judge Smaller also awarded costs of £30,400 and a victim surcharge of £120, with the total figure amounting to £1,190,530.
The council were alerted after a member of the public claimed to have seen evidence of a rodent infestation on the shopfloor of the store in February 2016.
Officers visited and found the infestation, before consulting with the store management, who agreed to immediately cease the sale of food.
Council food safety officers found the shop, which sells many of its products for a pound or less, was dirty and littered with mouse droppings, gnawed food packaging on display and rodent urine and faeces found in a stock room (image shows gnawed products in stock room)
The basement and storage areas were also found to be contaminated with mouse droppings, while some areas were too dark.
The goods lift was out of order, forcing staff members having to manually carry goods up to the shopfloor, and no risk assessment had been carried out for this.
There was also no hot water, inadequate heating and poor housekeeping, which resulted in stock being left in a haphazard and dangerous manner.
The company were fined £660,000 for the food safety offences, and £500,000 for one of the health and safety at work offences – with no separate penalty for the second (Croydon branch)
Poundworld was bought by Poundworld Bidco Ltd in May 2015 on behalf of funds controlled by TPG Capital, a global private equity investment firm with assets worth more than £57 billion.
Court-requested details of TPG were ‘respectfully declined’ by the defendant’s counsel after he said Poundworld, TPG and other companies are not linked organisations.
Judge Smaller, sentencing at Croydon Crown Court on Friday, said: ‘The smell of rodents’ urine was discernible upon immediate approach to the food section of the store.’
Judge Smaller said: ‘In the absence of being given sufficient reliable information, I am entitled to draw reasonable inferences that Poundworld can pay any fine.’
Councillor Hamida Ali, cabinet member for communities, safety and justice, said: ‘I am pleased to see that by imposing such a substantial level of fines and costs, the courts take seriously the matter of food retailers’ responsibility to ensure they adhere to legal requirements designed to protect the health and safety of their customers and staff.
‘The degree to which this company failed to uphold cleanliness and safety standards in its premier town-centre store beggars belief, and the financial penalty imposed is – to most people’s minds, I’m sure – entirely justified..’