Luxury health spa Champneys is accused of telling guests its apple crumble may ‘help reduce the risk of cancer’ as it faces 19 charges of breaching food safety laws
- Champneys allegedly said apple crumble could ‘help reduce the risk of cancer’
- It is claimed they also failed to tell guests about allergens in restaurant food
- Champneys, which denies all the charges, were due to appear in court today
Champneys has been hauled before the courts over claims it told guests their apple crumble may ‘help reduce the risk of cancer.’
The luxury health spa, which was visited by Princess Diana and counts the Beckhams, Brad Pitt and Dame Judi Dench among its guests, allegedly made the claims on its food menu.
The spa also allegedly failed to inform guests at its Forest Mere resort, in Liphook, West Sussex, it had a food hygiene rating of just 2 out of 5.
Champneys is accused of telling guests, who paid up to £230 a night, its apple crumble could cut the risk of ‘cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes’.
The spa allegedly failed to inform guests at its Forest Mere resort, in Liphook, West Sussex, it had a food hygiene rating of just 2 out of 5
Guests were also informed a black rice, quinoa and ginger salad was ‘anti-inflammatory’ and ‘rich in fibre’, it is claimed.
The spa failed to tell guests about allergens in its restaurant food including gluten, mustard, eggs and soybean, it is alleged.
And it is accused of selling diners a Vegan Tofu Pad Thai dish which contained milk.
Champneys denies all the charges.
The prestigious chain was due to go on trial after West Sussex County Council launched a prosecution against it on 19 charges relating to food safety, information, nutrition and consumer protection laws.
The maximum penalty for the offences is an unlimited fine and/or a sentence of up to six months in jail.
The case was due to be heard before magistrates in Brighton today but it was adjourned at the last minute after neither Champneys or the county council attended court.
Judge Amanda Kelly said: ‘I’m rather annoyed by counsel not turning up for this Champneys trial. There are no words.’
The spa chain is facing five charges of breaching nutrition and health claims laws by saying its apple crumble ‘may help reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes’.
The same crumble allegedly had a label containing a claim referencing general health and well-being but did not accompany this with an authorised health claim.
It is also claimed its black rice, quinoa and ginger salad had a nutritional label which claimed it was ‘rich in fibre’ and a ‘natural anti-inflammatory’ and its humous was ‘high in soluble fibre’ and a ‘source of beneficial phytoestrogens.’
Champneys is accused of telling guests, who paid up to £230 a night, its apple crumble could cut the risk of ‘cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes’
It faces nine charges of failing to declare allergens, including not saying mustard was in Champneys Caesar Salad dish, soybean was in pan fried sea bass dish, egg was in a braised beef dish, milk was in a rack of lamb dish, gluten was in broccoli and tofu fritters dish, mustard was in a scallops dish, sulphites were in a vegan bread and butter dessert, soybean and gluten were in a dark chocolate mousse and milk was in a vegan tofu Pad Thai.
Champneys faces a further charge of engaging in a misleading commercial practice by omitting to tell diners it had a food hygiene rating of ‘2’ and two additional charges relating to accusations of false labelling for allegedly claiming the Caesar Salad did not contain ‘parmesan’ and that a Vegan Tofu Pad Thai did not contain milk.
The final two charges were over accusations the chain failed to comply with EU law to declare products containing gluten and knowingly / recklessly engaged in a commercial practice falsely claim foods did not contain allergens which allowed customers to buy them
The case was adjourned until later this week.