Two London Joe and the Juice stores fined £100k after mice droppings were found on napkins and bread.
One store on Garrick Street had to close after they found many mice back in June 2023. Droppings were in bread boxes and on customer napkins. That’s not good!
Another spot on Davies Street was also bad; this happened in December 2023. Mice had gnawed on bread there, and droppings were everywhere, even near customers. Crumbs under shelves probably drew mice.
Mice spread diseases, including leptospirosis and food poisoning. They can transmit Campylobacter and Salmonella through saliva, droppings, and urine. Yikes!
Both locations got emergency closure notices due to the serious issues found. The two branches admitted guilt quickly, acknowledging they broke food hygiene rules in both cases.
Joe and the Juice admitted two offenses at their first opportunity. They failed to control pests properly and didn’t protect food from contamination, which could have made people sick.
The court fined them £40,000 per location, plus a £2,000 victim surcharge. They also had to pay £13,900 in costs, bringing the total fine to nearly £95,900 on January 22, 2025.
A council member stated that hygiene should be great, as customers deserve peace of mind. The case details are truly shocking and fell below expected food business standards.
The big fines show food hygiene is serious, and people can trust the council will act. They plan to keep everyone safe and work with food businesses closely to ensure high cleanliness standards are met.
Joe and the Juice said they care about food safety and fixed the issues quickly at both sites. Now, they have the best hygiene ratings awarded by the Food Standards Agency. They will keep improving their practices to ensure good protocols in all their stores.
