By Eric King-
Disgraced Asda has been fined £664,000, after an infestation in its Park Royal store was discovered.
A customer found mouse droppings in its bread rolls and shamed Asda by complaining to environmental chiefs.
The unhappy customer had already bitten into one of the rolls thinking they were seeds, only to later realise what he was actually eating.
AD: Capeesh Restaurant
The complainant wrote to environmental chiefs two days later, who uncovered the infestation and the filthy conditions of the store’s bakery during an announced inspection.The complaint is very bad publicity or Asda, who have now been exposed as very negligent.
Mouse Droppings
Uxbridge Magistrates Court heard the bakery was forced to close for 10 days last September, after mice droppings on bags of flour, food packaging, and trolleys used for bread and shelving was discovered.
A frozen mouse was disgustingly found at the entrance to a walk-in freezer, in an awful sight that presents Asda very badly.A pet control company was found was said to have visited the store at least 72 times in the previous year.
AD: Oysterian Sea Food Restaurant And Bar
Asda Trust
A clean-up operation was undertaken, and although the bakery is now deemed to be operating to a good standard, it will be very difficult for risk-averse customers to ever trust Asda again.
The company had disgracefully admitted four food safety and hygiene offences previously at Ealing Magistrates’ Court in September.
Asda was also ordered to pay £7,599 in costs to Ealing Council and £500 in compensation to the customer who bought the rolls plus a £120 victim surcharge. It raises questions as to how many other big stores are yet to be caught being so negligent with respect to hygiene issues. Asda has let down its customers in a big and unforgivable way, one they must work very hard to try to reverse. It will be no easy task, and many customers will shift to other stores. Asda is generally seen as a cheap store for those who want to save costs, but the apparent consequence may be to put up with low standards of hygiene.
AD: Heritage And Restaurant Lounge Bar