Barnsley shop fined for food safety and business registration offences

Barnsley Council has successfully secured prosecutions against a food shop which repeatedly breached food safety regulations, putting the health of residents at risk.

The prosecution involved joint work between Barnsley Council's Trading Standards and Legal Services teams.

Sorby Foods Ltd – trading as Barnsley M Store, Wellington Street, Barnsley – and Saravanamuthu Maheswaran, company director and food business operator, were prosecuted following a series of inspections by Regulatory Services officers.

The case was heard at Barnsley Magistrates' Court on 3 September 2026.

The court was told the officers conducting a routine inspection on 11 December 2025 had found products which did not meet food labelling information requirements.

Further investigations established that the business had not been registered as a food business.

On 18 December 2025, the council issued a letter and Improvement Notices and advised the business of the action required to achieve compliance.

A follow-up inspection in January 2026 again found products that were not correctly labelled.

After the business’s operator failed to engage with the investigation, a further inspection was carried out and officers found that the same breaches remained.

Sorby Foods Ltd and Mr Maheswaran admitted breaches of the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.

Sorby Foods Ltd was fined £4,000 with £765 in court costs and a £1,600 victim surcharge.

Mr Maheswaran was fined £1,173 and ordered to pay £765 in court costs and a £469 victim surcharge.

Councillor Sam Burdett, Cabinet Spokesperson for Communities, said:

“Keeping our Barnsley residents safe and well is our highest priority.

"People should be able to shop with confidence, knowing that the food they buy is safe, accurately described and complies with the law.

“All businesses selling food have a legal responsibility to ensure that the products they sell are labelled correctly and that consumers have clear information about what they are buying.

“For people living with food allergies, accurate labelling is not just important, it can be lifesaving. Clear information enables customers to make informed choices and helps prevent potentially serious health consequences.

"Clear and accurate food labelling is essential for people with allergies, helping them make informed choices and reducing the risk of potentially life-threatening reactions.

“Food businesses must also register with the council at least 28 days before they begin trading. This period allows our officers to provide advice, guidance and support, while ensuring businesses understand and can meet their legal obligations from the outset.

“Our Regulatory Services officers work closely with food businesses across the borough, helping them to achieve high standards and supporting compliance. We encourage all traders to engage positively with officers where concerns or issues are identified.

“We will take enforcement action where necessary to protect shoppers and maintain confidence in our local food sector.

“Maintaining public trust and confidence in Barnsley’s food businesses is essential to supporting thriving local communities and a strong local economy.

"Where businesses fail to meet expected standards, we will not hesitate to take enforcement action to protect residents, uphold those standards and preserve confidence in our local food sector.”

Anyone planning to start a food business in Barnsley must register with the council at least 28 days before trading begins.

Businesses can find guidance and register on our website.