Shocking pictures show Sainsbury's store shelves 'dirty with black mould'

A major supermarket has been issued with a two-star food hygiene rating after inspectors uncovered "filthy" shelves, mould in fridges and freezers, and bins "beyond cleaning".

Sainsbury's in Romney Place, Maidstone was downgraded from five stars by the council's environmental team. The report, originally published in May, is being released now following a Freedom of Information Act request.

Sainsbury's says immediate action has been taken to address the issues and it is now awaiting re-assessment. Inspectors visited the store on April 24 where they discovered cleaning procedures had "not been followed for some time", reports Kent Live.

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Pictures reveal mould in fridge and freezer sections near meat, ready meals and tinned products. The report states: "The shelving was dirty and had black mould growing on it. This was widespread throughout the store."

The inspector added: "I questioned what cleaning procedures were in place and whether there were any cleaning schedules for staff. Your food manager said that the policy is to clean and clear as you go and that only the high-risk food areas had cleaning schedules.

"It was clear from my first visit that staff were not cleaning as they go and that the shelves were being replenished without cleaning." Other problems included black mould discovered on suspended ceiling tiles above the bakery, and around the walls, sink and ovens in the rotisserie.

Internal bins were found in such a filthy state they were "beyond cleaning" and required replacement. The shop's boiler had also broken down, leading the store to install temporary hot water facilities in high-risk zones.

These included portable hand washing stations and urns for hot water. Yet no date was provided for the boiler's repair, which inspectors flagged as concerning "given the standard of cleaning in store".

A return visit on May 1 discovered the supermarket remained in "the same dirty condition". This resulted in the shop being stripped of its five-star hygiene rating and downgraded to just two stars.

The inspector said: "Whilst I understand that you have had a changeover in store manager, this is not an excuse for poor cleaning, and it can be clearly shown that procedures have not been followed for some time."

In the report dated May 6, the council's environmental health team handed Sainsbury's a catalogue of improvements required to meet food safety and hygiene laws. It stated an enforcement return visit would be made roughly a month later, "to determine compliance with the legal requirements raised".

Details of that subsequent visit have not been disclosed, but the report noted that regardless of whether improvements had been implemented, Sainsbury's two-star rating would stand. As of August 27, 2024, the outlet had previously maintained a hygiene score of five according to the Food Safety Agency.

A representative for Sainsbury's stated: "Food safety is our highest priority and around 95% of our stores hold a five-star Food Hygiene Rating. On the rare occasion a store does not meet our usual high standards, we will take immediate action to put things right, as we've done at our Maidstone supermarket, which is currently awaiting a rescore."