Wombwell food business and director fined over £13,000 for safety breaches

Vesta Harvest Market Limited, which trades as Vesta Mini Market on High Street in Wombwell, appeared alongside company director Aso Majid Marief at Barnsley Magistrates' Court on Thursday 8 October 2026. Mr Marief, 42, entered guilty pleas on behalf of the corporate entity as well as in his personal capacity, answering to eight separate offences for each defendant.

Investigation and Court Penalties

Legal proceedings were brought by Barnsley Council following an investigation into the sale of unsafe food items. Council officers found that products were being sold without proper allergen information provided in English, and lacked the required name and address of a UK-based business taking responsibility for the items. The inspection also uncovered failures to comply with two formal improvement notices issued under the Food Safety Act 1990.

Magistrates imposed a financial penalty of £8,000 on Vesta Harvest Market Limited. The company was additionally ordered to pay £1,422 in prosecution costs and a victim surcharge of £2,000, bringing its overall penalty to £11,422. Mr Marief received a personal fine of £738, alongside £1,250 in costs and a £295 victim surcharge, resulting in a total personal penalty of £2,283. In addition to the monetary penalties, the court ordered the forfeiture and destruction of all food items previously seized by the local authority during the investigation.

Council Response

Following the court hearing, Cllr Sam Burdett, cabinet spokesperson for communities, emphasised the critical nature of accurate food labelling and regulatory compliance. He noted that residents must have confidence that purchases are safe and that essential allergen details are clearly displayed, stressing that missing information poses serious risks for individuals with allergies.

The local authority stated that while the vast majority of local traders adhere to regulations, robust enforcement action will follow where standards are ignored. Officials added that businesses benefiting from community custom must obey the law and respond appropriately when improvement notices are issued by council officers.