Company director jailed after organic food scam

A company director has been jailed for a £500,000 scam which saw conventionally-produced food being passed off as organic.

Northamptonshire County Council Trading Standards, with the support of the Food Standards Agency, successfully prosecuted One Foods Limited after uncovering the fraud in 2007.

The home delivery and wholesale business supplied a range of products falsely described as organic to consumers and businesses across the UK.

The fraud took place over a five-year period.

One Foods Limited director Neil Stansfield has received a 27-month prison sentence, while company secretary Kate Stansfield and operations manager Russell Hudson each received suspended sentences and 150 hours of community work.

All three pleaded guilty to selling conventionally grown food as organic.

Sarah Appleby, head of enforcement at the FSA, said: “I am delighted that justice has been done. The FSA takes all food fraud very seriously and this is a perfect example of the FSA working closely with local authorities to stamp it out.”