Latest News - Prosecutions

Enfield Council has successfully prosecuted three convenience stores for selling food past its ‘use by’ date, following repeat warnings from the Council’s food safety team.

The enforcement action highlights the Council’s commitment to protecting residents and ensuring that local businesses comply with food safety laws.

The Council’s food safety officers visited the three convenience stores in the borough on 10 October 2024.

Officers again found food on sale that was past its ‘use by’ date in all three shops. The prosecution actions against them are as follows:

Costcutter in Main Avenue, Enfield (EN1) were found to be selling 17 items of food past the use by date including Layla cheese dated 23 September 2024 (17 days past use by date).

Sentencing took place at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on 21 August 2025, and the company was fined £1,400 however this sum was reduced based on the defendant’s financial circumstances and their early guilty plea to £800; a victim surcharge was imposed in the sum of £320. The Council was awarded full costs in the sum of £1,217.90.

The two company directors were also prosecuted separately from the company, and each director was fined based on their personal circumstances.

Altogether, both directors were fined £354 with a victim surcharge £142 and had to pay the council’s costs of £1,200.

Cockfosters Food and Wine in Cockfosters Road (EN4) were found to be selling four packets of sliced turkey rashers with a use by date of 9 October 2024. The food was removed by council officers as evidence.

The business was prosecuted at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on 18 September 2025. A judge imposed a fine of £600 (reduced from £900 due to guilty plea) along with a victim surcharge of £240.

The business was also ordered to pay the council’s costs of £800. Total: £1,640.

Forty Hill Food and Wine in Forty Hill, Enfield (EN2) were found to be selling 21 items of out-of-date food including Dairylea Lunchables dated 2 October 2024 (eight days past the use by date).

The company was not in attendance on 18 September 2025 at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court and was found guilty in absence.

The business was ordered to pay a fine of £1,400 along with a victim surcharge of £560 and were ordered to pay the council’s costs of £1,335.48. Total: £3,295.48. 

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