Preston Restaurant Penalized £12,000 for Mis-selling Dairy-Free Burgers

In an urgent food safety warning, Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards has fined a Preston restaurant and its director for mis-selling dairy-free burgers containing milk. The restaurant, Coco's Soul Food, was found to have sold food labeled as dairy-free that had milk traces, despite warnings. This occurred twice, once in November 2023 and again in February 2024.

Director Ebrahim Paruk, 51, of Coconut (NW) Ltd, appeared in Lancaster Magistrates’ Court on June 9th, 2026, after admitting to food safety offenses. The case began in November 2023 when an undercover buyer with a milk allergy was served a burger containing harmful levels of milk protein.

Following an investigation, the business received a warning and guidance on allergen controls. However, less than a year later, undercover officers found the same issue occurred. Mr. Paruk confirmed the meals were dairy-free, but tests revealed milk protein.

The issue was attributed to inadequate checks and poor allergen controls related to a switch from ordinary buns to brioche buns. The court fined Coconut (NW) Ltd £6,500, with a victim surcharge of £2,600 and court costs of £1,800.81. Mr. Paruk was fined £650 and must pay a victim surcharge of £260, bringing the total penalty to nearly £12,000.

County Councillor Joshua Roberts emphasized the importance of accurate allergen information, stating, "People with food allergies rely on businesses to provide accurate information and take proper care when preparing food." He added that the failure to keep allergen information updated can endanger customers, potentially leading to fatal consequences for those with allergies.

This case highlights the ongoing efforts of Trading Standards officers to enforce allergen control and take action against businesses that fail to meet safety responsibilities.