Trio sentenced in organics scam

Tuesday 22 September 2009

Northamptonshire County Council Trading Standards, with the support of the Food Standards Agency, has successfully prosecuted One Foods Limited – the company behind an organic food scam worth more than half a million pounds.

The home delivery and wholesale business supplied a range of products falsely described as organic to consumers and businesses across the UK. The fraud took place over a five year period.

One Food Limited Director Neil Stansfield has received a 27 month prison sentence, while Company Secretary Kate Stansfield and Operations Manager Russell Hudson, both received suspended sentences and 150 hours of community work. All three pleaded guilty to selling conventionally grown food as organic.

Sarah Appleby, Head of Enforcement at the FSA, said: 'I am delighted that justice has been done. The FSA takes all food fraud very seriously and this is a perfect example of the FSA working closely with local authorities to stamp it out.'

The FSA has a range of resources available to help local authorities that suspect, or uncover, food fraud. These include the National Food Fraud Database and the Food Fraud Advisory Unit, which includes local enforcement officers with specific experience in tackling food fraud. One of Northamptonshire County Council’s Trading Standards Officers involved in this investigation is a member of the Food Fraud Advisory Unit. The Agency also has a ‘fighting fund’ that can be used, as in this investigation, to provide financial support to local authorities.