APA News
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Edible Glitter Trial
The company sold decorative glitter, meant for use on greetings cards, to sugar craft suppliers and cake shops in such a way as to make them believe it was suitable for consumption. The Court heard how cake business were mislead into believing the products could be eaten, and the cake business, in turn produced glittered cupcakes coated with these tiny pieces of shredded plastic and sold them to the public.
The plastic material used, polyethylene terephthalate is commonly used in mineral water bottles, In this case it was manufactured as craft material, and as such its effect on the human digestive system is unknown. It should NOT be eaten.
EdAble Art Ltd ignored repeated advice from its local Trading Standards department in Durham and continued to misleadingly market the glitter as edible. The Court heard that the name of the business was derived from the names of three animated mice characters called Ed, Able and Art!
Offences were brought under the Food Safety Act 1990 for supplying a food not of the nature demanded in that it consisted of polyester plastic film, the Food Additives (England) Regulations 2009 for supplying a non-approved Food Additive, The General Food Regulations 2004 for failure to supply information to the local authority and the Companies Act 2006 for failure to disclose company information. The defended case took three days to hear due to the number of witnesses and the complex legal arguments involved. As well as giving crucial expert evidence Public Analyst Chris Hunt guided the prosecution solicitor through the complex legal issues involved.
