Business fined for selling fake Wonka bars

Counterfeit Wonka bars - such as these seized in London in 2022 - have been found on sale across the UK

A business has been fined for selling fake Wonka chocolate bars around the UK, which included nuts that were not mentioned on the packaging.

The director of SP Wholesale Limited in Luton, Mayank Soneji, pleaded guilty to food safety and trademark offences on 3 September.

Luton Council said staff at SP Wholesale were spotted removing the outer wrappers from cheap, imported chocolate bars and replacing them with Wonka Bar wrappers during an inspection in March 2022.

Soneji, 37, was fined £5,265 while the company was ordered to pay £5,824.

An environmental health officer visited the company on the Britannia Estate in Leagrave Road to inspect its hygiene standards.

The officer said the warehouse conditions were unhygienic and unclean, with mice and pigeons in the unit.

A shop owner in Powys was also fined last year for selling counterfeit Wonka bars

The council also discovered that the chocolate contained allergens such as peanuts and almonds, which were not listed on the packaging. Paperwork revealed that these fake Wonka Bars were being supplied to shops across the UK.

As a result, the business had to carry out a nationwide product recall.

The label also had a fake address, and the company did not obtain permission from the trademark holder, Ferrero Group, to use the Wonka Bar wrappers.

Gerard McCleave, the council's corporate director for inclusive economy, said Mr Soneji had shown "a complete disregard for the safety of his customers".

"It’s vitally important that food labelling includes all ingredients, as they can pose a health risk to anyone who suffers from a related food allergy.

"This sentencing sends out a message to all food businesses that selling counterfeit goods will not be tolerated," he added.