UK NEWS
CADBURY FINED £1M FOR SALMONELLA SCARE
A selection of Cadbury's products were affected
By Graham Hiscott
THE Cadbury chocolate empire is braced for a flood of compensation payouts after being fined £1million yesterday over last year’s food poisoning outbreak.
Victims who claim they were struck down with the salmonella bug, after eat-ing contaminated chocolate bars, have started legal action against the company.
Their cases will be strengthened by the fine imposed by a judge at Birmingham Crown Court.
Cadbury had pleaded guilty, at earlier hearings, to nine food safety offences. More than one million chocolate bars were recalled after salmonella was found at a factory.
Dozens of people fell ill. Some, including two young children, needed hospital care.
Birmingham Crown Court heard that a new method of testing had allowed contaminated bars to go on sale. Previously, any product that tested positive for salmonella would have automatically been destroyed. But from 2003, bars with a “tolerance level” of the bug were permitted.
Recorder James Guthrie, QC, said he believed that the mistake arose from a misunderstanding of scientific literature and was not a conscious attempt to cut costs.
But he added: “It seems strange that this took place without greater evaluation.”
Cadbury was also punished for failing to inform authorities of dozens of tests which showed that raw materials and finished products were contaminated. The firm was fined £500,000 for putting unsafe chocolate on sale and £100,000 on each of two other charges brought by Birmingham City Council.
It was also fined £50,000 for each of six offences concerning food safety breaches at its factory in Marlbrook, Hereford-shire. And the company was ordered to pay £152,000 costs.
“I regard this as a serious case of negligence,” the judge said. “It therefore needs to be marked as such, to emphasise the responsibility and care which the law requires.”
In the salmonella outbreak, some of the company’s bestselling products were taken off the shelves. They included Dairy Milk Turkish, Dairy Milk Caramel and Dairy Milk Mint.
But it was too late for more than 40 people struck down with salmonella after eating contaminated products.
The incident has already cost Cadbury £50million in lost sales and factory improvements.
It now faces payouts to alleged victims which could run to several thousands of pounds each.
Last night the firm promised to settle any outstanding claims as quickly as possible.
In a statement it said: “Quality has always been at the heart of our business but the process we followed in the UK in this instance has been shown to be unacceptable.
“We have apologised for this and do so again today. In particular, we offer our sincere regrets and apologies to anyone who was made ill as a result of this failure.”
Solicitor Sallie Booth, representing 12 people affected by the chocolate, said: “Our clients are relieved that Cadbury have pleaded guilty, and in doing so accept their responsibility to the public.”
