Aldi fined £64k for mouse infestation found in store after customer found ‘droppings and fur in Easter egg’

Supermarket chain Aldi has been fined £64,000 and ordered to pay £241,177 in costs after a mouse infestation was discovered at its Leyton branch in east London.

The ruling at Snaresbrook Crown Court on November 29, marks Aldi’s first food hygiene prosecution in the UK.

The German multinational, which recorded £17.9billion in sales last year, pleaded guilty to failing to implement adequate pest control measures at the store.

Environmental health officers visited the Heybridge Way store in April 2020 following a customer complaint about mouse droppings and fur in a partially unwrapped Easter egg.

During their inspection, officers discovered mouse droppings throughout the premises.

The infestation was particularly concerning as droppings were found in food packaging and in open milk and bread display areas.

The store was forced to close temporarily while measures were taken to address the immediate food hygiene risk to customers.

The closure came after Waltham Forest Council’s environmental health officers identified the serious pest problem during their inspection.

The company had to implement corrective actions before being allowed to reopen, following their failure to maintain adequate pest control standards.

Councillor Khevyn Limbajee, cabinet member for community safety at Waltham Forest Council, said: “We take food safety extremely seriously, no matter how big or small the business involved.”

“As a major brand, the fact that Aldi has recently expanded its operations in the borough makes this lack of oversight all the more appalling,” he added.

He emphasised that Waltham Forest is “a leading London borough when it comes to prosecuting food vendors for pest problems, poor hygiene and food safety management.”

Residents in Waltham Forest have been encouraged to check food hygiene ratings for local food businesses.

This can be done through the Food Standards Agency’s online toolkit, which allows customers to verify the safety standards of restaurants, takeaways and food retailers.

The recommendation comes as part of the council’s ongoing commitment to maintaining high food safety standards across the borough.