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It’s been a year since the horsemeat scandal hit the headlines, and campaigners are complaining about how little has changed since. The main action by the government was to commission the Elliott review, on reviewing the interim report in December the Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson, claimed "there are good systems in place to ensure UK consumers have access to some of the safest food in the world" and that "the UK food industry already has robust procedures to ensure they deliver high quality food to consumers".
However many are quick to disagree, especially given the list of failures of this system in recent years, among them salmonella in eggs, then BSE, foot and mouth disease, unlawful antibiotics in meat and honey, chemical contaminants in fish, and most recently the horsemeat disaster. Hardly a ringing endorsement and, with 49% of people saying the horsemeat incident has changed their shopping habits (according to survey carried out on behalf on Which? in November), it seems the public agree.
The survey also showed that 25% said they bought less processed meat and 17% said they bought more products from butchers and farmers' markets. This show of public mistrust is also highlighted an Ipsos Mori poll run in partnership with the Grocer magazine which showed that almost a third of respondents said the incident had "permanently impacted" the way they chose and bought food.
Given the impact of the Horsemeat and other food hygiene scandals, it’s hard to understand why cutbacks that expose us to further risk are being allowed to continue.
Which? magazine investigated 395 local authorities across the UK, revealing that more than a third of medium or high-risk businesses (such as restaurants, take-aways and shops) are not meeting requirements set by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
The study also found that overall, the level of testing by councils had fallen by 6.8% from the year before, and testing for correct labelling and presentation had dropped by 16.2%. Meaning families could be being put at risk because food hygiene, labelling and authenticity checks are being scaled back by local councils.
Which? executive director Richard Lloyd, said: “No one wants another horse meat fiasco, so it is very worrying that local authority food checks are in decline.
‘We want to see a more strategic approach to food law enforcement that makes the best use of limited resources and responds effectively to the huge challenges facing the food supply chain.’
Which? named and shamed the local authorities guilty of failing to uphold food hygiene safety standards, basing rankings on the number of premises compliant with hygiene requirements, the number of visits by council inspectors, and the number of premises yet to receive a hygiene rating. Bexley in London was revealed as the worst performing area, while a further five London authorities, Ealing, Enfield, Harrow, Richmond upon Thames and Southwark, were in the bottom 10 of the list.
The Local Government Association (LGA) said councils are doing the best they can given the budget cuts imposed by central government. The LGA’s regulation spokesman Nick Worth said: “Random sampling is just one tool available to councils and a reduction in testing does not mean an increased safety risk to the public.
“Targeting high-risk businesses and acting on complaints is a far more effective use of their limited resources and also allows councils to free up responsible businesses from unnecessary inspections and red tape.”
You can check out an establishment’s food hygiene rating at - http://ratings.food.gov.uk/
If you have suffered from food poisoning, as a result of food purchased from a restaurant, bar or other commercial venue, then you may be entitled to make a personal injury compensation claim.
In order to proceed with a food poisoning claim we need to know:
- The time and date the food was purchased.
- Method and evidence of payment.
- Confirmation of food purchased.
- If the food was consumed within 24 hours prior to the food poisoning
- That medical advice was sort
The first three points can all be confirmed by the receipt. As with all personal injury claims it is important to seek medical advice, a doctor can confirm if what you are suffering from is food poisoning and note this on your medical records, with the date. Also remember to keep evidence of any related expenses such as receipts for medication, additional accommodation costs and / or travel expenses.
We Can Help
If you feel you have suffered from food poisoning, as a result of food purchased from a restaurant, bar or other commercial venue, or are unsure and would like to talk your situation through, then get in contact. Our friendly specialist advisors can talk to you about your situation and see if you have a valid claim. There is no charge for this service and you are under no obligation to claim with us.
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If you’ve had an accident that wasn’t your fault and suffered an injury - you can trust us to handle your claim professionally.
Call us now on 0800 756 7774 and talk to us to find out if you have a claim - or fill in our Quick Claim form (on the right of this page).
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