Takeaway fined over meat swap

Standards officer he had not done this deliberately. He claimed the beef in his kitchen was for personal use but he admitted that there was no lamb on the premises because his usual supplier did not have any.

Khan was warned by the Trading Standards Service in August 2015 after supplying an identical product containing beef. He had at this time received extensive training on food standards requirements to try to prevent any recurrence.

The Food Safety Act prohibits the sale of food which is not of the nature demanded by the purchaser. A food described as a lamb naan wrap should consist of meat only derived from sheep. The maximum penalty in the magistrates’ court for such offending is a fine of £20,000 and/or six months imprisonment.

David Lodge, head of West Yorkshire Trading Standards, said: “This result demonstrates the seriousness with which the courts view traders who flout their legal responsibilities. Consumers rightly expect to get what they pay for. This takeaway substituted cheaper meat and didn’t bother to alter the menu descriptions. Trading Standards will continue to take action against any businesses exploiting consumers.”

Clr Jo Hepworth, chairman of the West Yorkshire Joint Services Committee, which oversees the work of Trading Standards, said: “Businesses need to take their legal responsibilities seriously.” The New Paradise takeaway in Westfield Road, Horbury, which sold beef as lamb. Owner Mohammed Rafan Khan, of Huddersfield, was fined by Leeds Magistrates’ Court