No grounds to review Tesco stores in region

Perth and Kinross Licensing Board has found no grounds to review the licences of Tesco’s five stores in the region.

Earlier this year the supermarket giant was fined £7.56 million for selling out-of-date food in its stores.

A judge accused Tesco Stores Ltd of playing“Russian Roulette”with customers’safety.

The UK’s largest supermarket chain was brought to prosecution after Birmingham City Council found the chain selling out-of-date goods on several occasions.

Inspections by the council’s environmental health officers found expired food for sale at three Birmingham stores in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

In April 2021 Tesco admitted 22 breaches of food safety and hygiene regulations at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.

It was hit with the fine for the health and safety violations as a warning to other supermarket chains.

The supermarket giant has five stores in Perth and Kinross: Blairgowrie, Scone and three in Perth.

Tesco was duty bound to inform Perth and Kinross Licensing Board of the offences under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 due to the company having stores in the jurisdiction.

At a meeting of the Perth and Kinross Licensing Board on July 1, which was not open to the public and press, the board found no grounds to review Tesco’s licences in the region.

A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council told the PA:“The board found there were no grounds to review the licences of five Tesco supermarkets in Perth and Kinross.

“Tesco was obliged to inform the board about convictions relating to food safety involving some of its stores in the Midlands in 2016 and 2017.

“As these are outwith Perth and Kinross and the convictions were not related to alcohol licensing, the board determined there were no grounds for review.”