Supermarket fined £50k after rodent and cockroach infestations found on four separate occasions

A Birmingham supermarket where rodent and cockroach infestations were discovered on four separate occasions has been hit with a £50,000 fine.

Abdul Rehman, director of Azad Supermarket in Stratford Road, pleaded guilty to 11 charges against the company as well as 11 separate charges against himself, related to breaching the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations.

A hearing at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Thursday (May 22) heard how mice and rat droppings were discovered in a number of areas of the premises including in food, in the supermarket, storage areas, beneath shelves and behind equipment while live cockroaches were found in the butchery section.

Dead mice were also found on sticky boards under shelving, cockroaches found in food preparation areas and gnawed food present in the supermarket.

Inspectors also said there were inadequate procedures in place to ensure food was safe and hygienic and no system in place to check for pests and cleaning.

Two of the charges arose following a visit by officers on September 6 2024, with another two related to a visit on December 6 the same year.

Four more charges arose from a visit on June 16 2025 and the final three related to an inspection on November 5 the same year.

Yasmin Osman, prosecuting, said: “This is a serious case of repeated and persistent breaches of hygiene regulations which pose a risk to public health.

“This is not an isolated incident. Despite formal enforcement action, checks of premises and a schedule of works, the issues occurred repeatedly.”

She added there had previously been one breach in regulations against the supermarket in 2018.

Muzir Waheed, defending, said that the supermarket had this week dealt with the issues and no longer posed a risk to public health.

Rehman had previously employed someone to oversee the running of the business but a new management structure had now been implemented.

He added there were a number of factors, including personal and family issues which resulted in the breaches at the supermarket.

Mr Waheed said: “There have been external drainage issues resulting in foul water affecting the premises. Reports were made but they failed to address the issues in a timely manner.

“We all know about the bin strikes and the effect this has had. People were dumping rubbish outside the premises. There have also been issues related to a neighbour’s building works.

“Mr Rehman is 68-years-old, he had no previous convictions himself and he is not in the best of health.

“He has suffered a heart attack and is on medication for heart disease. When one of the inspections took place, he had in fact just been discharged from hospital.”

Magistrates fined the company £50,000 and ordered pay a £2,000 surcharge and £5,000 costs. Rehman was handed a £1,866 fine and ordered to pay a £746 surcharge.