McDonald’s pleads guilty to hygiene breaches after Waltham Forest investigation

McDonald’s Restaurant Limited have been fined £475,000 after a rodent infestation was discovered by Waltham Forest Council’s environmental health officers at their premises in Leytonstone.

The restaurant was ordered to pay the sum plus £22,000 in costs at Thames Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to three charges of hygiene breaches. Environmental Health Officers visited the offending restaurant on 15 October 2021, after a customer complained they had found droppings in their 24-hour drive-thru order.

The customer was reportedly mid-way through their meal when they noticed what they thought was a mouse dropping on the inside of the packaging.

On receipt of the complaint, Environmental Health Officers visited the restaurant and found conditions at the premises which presented a genuine risk to the health of customers using restaurant.

Amongst the officer findings were the decomposing remains of a mouse and numerous mouse droppings throughout the premises which included:
• on the floor of the food preparation and main cooking section
• in the main cooking area next to a tray of cooking utensils
• in the hot holding food preparation area on the floor
• in the staff room
• in a storage area and cleaning store cupboard
• in a box containing a bottle of caramel drizzle drink sauce

These poor hygiene conditions were found by officers despite paperwork claiming cleaning schedules had been completed. The inspection also uncovered several areas in the kitchen that were greasy, dirty and dusty.

The officers determined the premises was so unhygienic that it posed an “imminent risk to health” and ordered the restaurant be immediately closed with customers asked to leave.

Following the closure, the store remained closed for 10 days, at which point the council’s officers were satisfied that all the issues identified had been resolved and the premises allowed to re-open.

The prosecution subsequently instigated by Waltham Forest stemmed from conditions that officers found on 15 October 2021 that prompted the closure.

Cllr Khevyn Limbajee, Waltham Forest Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said “We are grateful for the quick thinking of the customer in this case for reporting the matter to the Council for investigation.

He went on to highlight the significant risk posed to the health of residents and visitors to Waltham Forest and stated that the Council had no option but to take formal action in this case.

He said: “McDonald’s is a large and well experienced food business operator in the fast-food sector who serves thousands of meals per week to its customers, therefore the risk presented at the Leytonstone store was significant.

“It was appreciated that McDonald’s pleaded guilty and admitted wrongdoing at the first opportunity, however as a Council we take food hygiene seriously and won’t hesitate to follow up complaints and take action where appropriate, irrespective of who operates the food business.”

McDonald’s was charged with the following:

Count 1:
On 07th October 2021, at McDonald’s, 865-873 High Road, Leytonstone, London E11 1HR, you did contravene the provisions of Part II, Section 14 (1) of the Food Safety Act 1990, and sold food to the purchaser’s prejudice, namely selling a cheeseburger to the purchaser containing a mouse dropping within the food wrapper.
Contrary to Section 35(2) of the Food Safety Act 1990.

Count 2:
On 15th October 2021 at McDonald’s, 865-873 High Road, Leytonstone, London E11 1HR, you did contravene the provisions of Annex II, Chapter IX, Paragraph 4 of Regulation (EC) 852/2004 on the hygiene food stuffs, namely you failed to put in place adequate procedures to control pests in that:
• An ongoing mouse infestation was found on the premises, including the kitchen where open food and ingredients are stored and handled.
Contrary to Regulation 19(1) of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 made under s.2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972

Count 3:
On 15th October 2021, at McDonald’s, 865-873 High Road, Leytonstone, London E11 1HR, you did contravene the provisions Annex II, Chapter 1, Paragraph 1 of the Regulation (EC) 852/2004 on the hygiene foodstuffs, in that:
• There were very poor levels of cleanliness evident across the business, including the kitchen where open food and ingredients were stored and handled.
Contrary to Regulation 19(1) of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 made under s.2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972

McDonald’s has been approached for comment.

Harry Rodd