Batley shop owners slapped fine for selling rotten fruit and veg

Rotten spinach and rotten guava found in the shop

The owners of a shop in Batley have been fined for selling rotten and damaged fruit and vegetables.

Abdullah Dadipatel, 36, and Hawa Dadipatel, 35, of A and Z Dadipatel based on Banks Street, Batley, admitted eight charges when they appeared at Wakefield and Pontefract Magistrates’ Court on 2 December.

The charges related to offences found on 12 May and 5 June this year during an investigation carried out by the Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate (HMI), part of the Rural Payments Agency.

In May, inspectors found rotting cauliflowers, severely bruised strawberries and labelling defect on courgettes, turnips, spring onions, spinach, melons, oranges, apples and pears.

In June, inspectors found rotting spinach, spring onions, saragwo, guava, apples, peaches, pears and lettuce. They also found bruised loquats and labelling defects on apples and nectarines.

Both owners were each ordered to pay a £1,000 fine, £500 costs and a £100 victims’ surcharge.

Operations director, Paul Caldwell, said: “We see prosecution as a last resort and always try to gain compliance with quality and labelling regulations through advice guidance and instruction.

“This particular store received four visits from inspectors between April 2013 and March 2014 where advice and guidance on compliance was offered. Poor quality produce was found on two of these occasions and inadequate labelling on every visit.”