UK: McDonald's fined Rs 5 crore after mouse droppings found in burger

McDonald's has been fined £500,000 (around Rs 5 crore) after a dead mouse and mouse droppings were found inside one of their rodent-infested restaurants in London.

This happened after a customer eating cheeseburger found rodent excrement on the inside of their burger wrapper. 

As per Waltham Forest Council, the consumer was halfway through eating the burger when they saw the mouse droppings. The complaint was filed in 2021 and Environmental Health Officers visited the restaurant when they noticed the mouse droppings.

 They "found conditions at the premises presented a real risk to the health of customers. Amongst the officers' findings were the decomposing remains of a mouse and numerous mouse droppings throughout the premises. The inspection also uncovered several areas in the kitchen that were greasy, dirty, and dusty."

Waltham Forest Council environmental health officers detected an out-of-control mouse infestation at the eatery, posing an 'imminent risk' to public health. Post the inspection, the restaurant was closed for 10 days and only reopened after the Council gave a clearance of its hygienic conditions.

The Waltham Forest Council took to Twitter to post an image of the restaurant and shared that the fast-food chain has been finally fined with £4,75,000 plus £22,000.

"We are grateful for the quick thinking of the customer in this case for reporting the matter to the Council for investigation. There was a significant risk posed to the health of residents and visitors to Waltham Forest, and as such, the Council had no option but to take formal action in this case," Cllr Khevyn Limbajee, Waltham Forest Council's Cabinet Member for Community Safety said in a press note.

He further added, "McDonald's is a large and well-experienced food business operator in the fast-food sector who serves thousands of meals per week to its customers, therefore, the risk presented at the Leytonstone store was significant. It was appreciated that McDonald's pleaded guilty and admitted wrongdoing at the first opportunity. However, as a Council, we take food hygiene seriously and won't hesitate to follow up on complaints and take action where appropriate, irrespective of who operates the food business."

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