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Food businesses warned about bogus penalties

22 December 2008

The Food Standards Agency has put out a warning to food business operators about bogus letters, claiming to be from the FSA, demanding payment for alleged breaches of Food Safety Regulations.

Shoosmiths’ regulatory team is warning food businesses that the bogus letter appears with the FSA logo at the top and states that, whilst an offence has been committed, the Agency has decided not to proceed with any charges providing the recipient of the letter pays a penalty charge of £1,000.00 within the next seven working days.  The letter then advises the recipient where to send the cheque for payment of the penalty charge.

The advice from the FSA is that if food business operators receive such a letter then they should not send the money and instead report the letter to their local Police.

Ron Reid, who heads up Shoosmiths’ regulatory team said:  “The FSA is not the national enforcement authority for food law and would not send any letters demanding payment for penalty charges. 

“Any genuine complaints regarding food would be investigated by the Local Authority and food business operators would receive contact from their local Environmental Health officer before any formal enforcement action would be taken.”

For further advice, Shoosmiths regulatory team can be contacted on 08700 863317.

For further information please contact:
Name: Karen Carter
Phone: 08700 864086
Email: karen.carter@shoosmiths.co.uk

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Karen Carter

Head of Communications
T: 08700 86 4086
I: +44 (0)121 625 4086
E: karen.carter@shoosmiths.co.uk