In a concerning incident, a major supermarket in one of the UK’s largest cities has been ordered to pay a hefty £24,000 fine after a mouse and cockroaches were discovered on the premises. The S&D Supermarket, located on Soho Road in Handsworth, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to five offences related to the poor sanitary conditions found within the store.
According to a report by Birmingham City Council’s environmental health department, rodent droppings were discovered on the store’s shelves, while a live mouse and cockroaches were found in the crisps section. The report also highlighted the supermarket’s extremely poor pest-proofing and overall lack of cleanliness, stating that the premises were “generally unclean.”
Shockingly, the supermarket was also found to be unregistered with Birmingham City Council, meaning there was no food safety plan in place. The firm that owns the shop, Inventure Soho Road Ltd, based in Foleshill Road, Coventry, was ordered to pay the £20,000 fine, along with nearly £400 in costs.
In a statement, the supermarket’s manager, Sanjay Patel, acknowledged the issues and said that the new owners had taken responsibility, carrying out a renovation and now boasting a four-star rating. Patel explained that the store was closed down by the council on August 30 due to the pest activity, but was able to reopen on September 1 after addressing the problems.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining strict hygiene standards in the food retail industry. Consumers expect and deserve a safe and clean shopping experience, and local authorities will not hesitate to take action against businesses that fail to meet these basic requirements.
