Barnsley food business fined over misleading “fresh lamb” claims

A Barnsley food business has been fined more than £11,000 after falsely labelling products as “fresh lamb” following a successful prosecution by Barnsley Council.

Town Kebab and Pizza, also known as Istanbul34 Ltd, which operates from 496 Doncaster Road, pleaded guilty to food labelling offences and failure to register their establishment. The court ordered the business to pay a total of £11,350.41, including a £2,000 victim surcharge, within 56 days.

Trading Standards Officers visited the premises on 14 August 2025 to conduct a routine Food Standards Inspection. During the visit, officers found that a doner kebab advertised on the menu as “fresh lamb” was in fact made from a mix of lamb, beef and poultry, according to the product label.

The business was advised to correct the description and make improvements to comply with food standards.

On 18 September 2025, a formal sample of the doner kebab described as fresh lamb was taken. Analysis showed it to contain medium part cow (31-60%), medium part chicken (31-60%), and minor part sheep (6-30%). Despite this, the product continued to be advertised as “fresh lamb” both in-store and on food delivery platforms.

Further investigation also found that the business had failed to properly register as a food establishment with the council, despite operating under its current ownership, Istanbul34 Ltd, since January 2025.

Carrie Abbott, Service Director for Public Health and Regulatory Services, said:

“Food safety is not optional, it’s essential. People must be given clear and accurate information about what is in their food so they can make informed choices. This could be for health reasons or religious beliefs, and to make sure they are getting what they paid for.

“Thank you to our Trading Standards and Legal Services teams for their hard work in bringing this case to court. This outcome sends a clear message to businesses that they must follow the law and respond when concerns are raised. If businesses continue to break the rules after being warned, we will take action.”

If you have any questions or need any advice in relation to food labelling, or you see anything suspicious or suspect a business or person might be trading illegally, contact the team by emailing regulatoryservices@barnsley.gov.uk or calling 01226 773 743.