Our role

• Foods containing foreign bodies (e.g., stones, glass, insects, hair, plasters, cigarette ends etc.)
• Food that is out of condition (e.g. mouldy, rotten, off-smelling etc)

It is our aim to ensure that food and drink sold in Runnymede is safe to consume.

Foods that cause illness

Some complaints come from people alleging that the food they have eaten out or bought and eaten at home has given them they symptoms of food poisoning. For further information, please read our web page on Food Poisoning.

Who to Contact

Follow the chart to find who to contact

What will happen?

As a customer you have two options:

1. Return the product/foreign body to the retailer/manufacturer; or
2. Bring your complaint to Environmental Protection at Runnymede Borough Council.

When you pass the complaint over to us for investigation you will be given:

• A receipt as confirmation of your acceptance to allow us to deal with the complaint;
• The name and telephone number of the officer dealing with the complaint;

If you bring the food complaint to the Council Office please ensure you:

1. Keep the food, any wrapping and receipt;
2. Where applicable, avoid handling the foreign body found in the food item;
3. Keep perishable foods in the fridge or freezer to prevent deterioration;
4. If the item of food is one of a pack, bring these in also.

It may take several weeks for the Investigating Officer to collect all the information necessary in order to decide what action is appropriate. Appropriate action may result in informal advice to avoid a recurrence or formal action against the company.

Please note that Runnymede Borough Council only investigates the criminal aspect of the complaint. We will not seek to obtain or otherwise negotiate any compensation or redress for the complaint or complaints about food premises.

Common Food Complaints