Leftover veg stall told to follow EU rules

A man who sells leftover vegetables from his garden to passers-by has been ordered to comply with EU rules on weights and measures.

The Northumberland landowner was amazed to receive a warning from trading standards officials after they spotted an honesty box next to his stall, reports the Daily Telegraph.

They ordered James Cookson, who says he takes between £5 and £10 a week selling vegetables that would otherwise have gone to waste, to meet European Union requirements.

Officials from Northumberland County Council told him the parsnips, spinach and leeks grown in his walled garden should be sold by metric weight, following EU rules, and sent him four pages of guidance.

Mr Cookson, who owns Meldon Park Estate, near Morpeth, said: "We sold five parsnips from the stall last week and there was £1 in the honesty box.

"The letter is laughable. I have not got a clue about why the trading standards department has got involved, unless someone has reported us."

The father of three, whose family has owned the estate since 1832, ran a farm shop until recently, when it closed due to lack of trade.

Mr Cookson then set up the small stall at the end of his drive so fresh vegetables from his garden did not go to waste, labelling bags of them with prices, and relying on the honesty of passers-by to leave cash in a piggy bank.

A county council spokeswoman said: "The advice that was given in the letter was to help explain how to sell fruit and vegetables in the correct manner to meet national guidelines.

"Even small stalls have the same responsibilities as large retailers, but we are not pursuing the stall owner for any wrongdoing; we are offering advice and guidance on how to meet the produce-selling requirements."

-Nova