Covent Garden Tesco 'plagued by protein fuelled supermouse'

 
Picture copyright Westminster City Council
18 July 2013

Health inspectors found a “supermouse” which had been gorging on protein during an infestation at a Tesco Metro store in Covent Garden.

They also found mouse droppings, dead rodents in the warehouse dairy section and food waste in the warehouse of the store, which attracts 55,000 shoppers a week.

Staff had failed to fix doors, pipes and loose ceiling tiles, letting mice enter fridges and food crates at the Bedford Street shop. Tesco made an “unreserved apology” at Westminster magistrates’ court yesterday.

Picture copyright Westminster City Council

The store was closed after health officers found no progress had been made. Tesco pleaded guilty to six food hygiene offences. District Judge John Zani could have fined Tesco up to £30,000 but decided his powers were insufficient and sent the case to crown court.

James Armitage, Westminster City Council’s Food Safety Manager, said: “We are very pleased with this finding.

“The judge decided that this was a sufficiently serious enough case that the fine should be more than he had the powers to give at magistrates’ court.

“That is understandable because this was one of the most concerning breaches of food safety laws we have seen in a long time. The conditions at the store were disgusting and a serious risk to health.

“It doesn’t matter if this was a sole trader or a large superstore the rules are the same in both cases. All food businesses owe it to their customers to keep their food safe and their premises clean and free from pests. These are basic hygiene requirements.

Copyright Westminster City Council on the captions

“In this case the store had a terrible mouse infestation which had been allowed to continue despite a high risk of food contamination.

“Even Tesco recognised that there had been serious failures in its own procedures that allowed the situation to get to the stage it did.”

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