Kettering food firm pays out to charity after packaging law breach

A manufacturer of children's food products based in Kettering has paid thousands to an environmental charity after breaching packaging regulations.

Historical offences were discovered during an Environment Agency compliance monitoring visit at Healthy Kids Limited of Timsons Business Centre, Bath Road, which trades as Little Dish.

Companies with a turnover above £2m, handling more than 50 tonnes of packaging in the previous calendar year, must register with the Environment Agency or an accredited compliance scheme, and recover and recycle packaging waste.

Further investigation work found the firm had committed offences for failing to register and failure to take reasonable steps to recover and recycle packaging waste for the years 2013 to 2017.

But instead of a prosecution their failure to comply with the law was dealt with by a civil sanction, where offenders have to improve practices and make a financial contribution to a project.

Healthy Kids Limited offered to pay £5,205.14 to Waste and Resource Action Programme (WRAP).

Beth Haste, regulatory officer at the Environment Agency, said: “Enforcement undertakings allow companies and individuals to make amends for breaching environmental regulations, including through a financial contribution to a project that must improve the environment.

“When appropriate, they allow a better resolution for the environment than a prosecution and help offenders who are prepared to take responsibility for their actions to put things right voluntarily, in a way that directly benefits the environment and local communities.”

Sarah Clayton, head of citizen behaviour change from WRAP said: “We live in a world where millions go hungry, while a third of the food produced globally is wasted. WRAP’s consumer campaign, Love Food Hate Waste (LFHW) raises awareness of food waste, helping people to reduce the amount of food they throw away. Since its launch in 2007, LFHW has helped reduce food waste in the UK by 31 per cent.

“This donation will enable WRAP to work with a range of influencers to create a series of diverse recipes to be featured on the Love Food Hate Waste website, linked to Love Food Hate Waste’s key messages.

"Also included will be our top hints and tips, along with alternative options to encourage citizens to make the most of the food they already have at home. We will release and share them monthly on our social media channels, in addition to promotion by each influencer on their own channels."

As part of the civil sanction, Healthy Kids Limited also committed to register with EcoVeritas compliance scheme, implement new internal polices and a full packaging review.

The company also agreed to pay the Environment Agency's costs.

Message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive.

We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you