West Sussex kebab shop prosecuted for food safety offences  

Troy Kebab in Crawley High Street, West Sussex, has been prosecuted by West Sussex County Council after it sold a kebab containing milk to a customer that had declared a milk allergy, and made misleading statements about the meat content in the takeaway’s doner kebab. 

The owner of Troy Kebab, Nihat Koksal, pleaded guilty on all four charges and was ordered to pay £10,005. The verdict was given last week at Crawley Magistrates Court, following an investigation by West Sussex County Council Trading Standards Service. 

In early August 2022, a test purchase was made by a Trading Standards Officer who declared a milk allergy. The purchase showed that the shop had failed to check packaging or documentation before serving the kebab. 

The investigation also found that the kebab was falsely advertised as a ‘lamb doner’ as analysis showed it contained both milk and mixed meats. 

Richard Sargeant, West Sussex County Council Trading Standards team manager, said: “This establishment displayed significant irresponsibility by serving a kebab with milk, even after being informed of the customer’s milk allergy. 

“Consumers have a right to rely on accurate food descriptions from businesses, and we urge all food retailers to take this conviction as a cautionary example and ensure the accuracy of their product descriptions.” 

This prosecution highlights the importance of allergy awareness and safety in food establishments and for business owners to be aware of the law and their responsibilities. Had this not been part of investigation, the outcome could have been more serious for an unsuspecting customer.   

For businesses selling non-prepacked foods, they must be able to supply accurate allergen information for every item that contains any of the 14 major food allergens on request. Businesses must also display signage to direct customers on how they can access the allergen information. 

More information on Food Regulation can be found here.