Trading Standards Alcohol Investigation

Carmarthenshire’s Trading Standards team has influenced a policy change at one of the UK’s biggest restaurant chains following a routine visit to check alcohol measures and labelling. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Officers visited a local branch of the restaurant chain to check labelling and alcohol content in wines and spirits being offered for sale at the bar as part of a survey devised by the Trading Standards team. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The alcohol content in a range of spirits was found to differ from that stated on the label. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

On further investigation it was found that alcohol had evaporated as a result of the way it was being stored, possibly exacerbated by the heat of lighting and conditions in the bar area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following the Carmarthenshire Trading Standards investigation, the restaurant’s policy of displaying spirits on the bar with open pourers has been changed nationwide. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Jim Jones, Executive Board Member for Public Protection, said: “Our Trading Standards team is working hard to protect consumers and ensure that they are getting what they pay for. We are pleased that our checks and subsequent investigations here in Carmarthenshire have influenced change for consumers across the UK.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​