Balti House Barnsley and its director have been fined more than £10,000 for incorrectly labelling foods as dairy-free.

Mohammed Nozrul Islam appeared at Barnsley Magistrates Court on 15 October to plead guilty to one food safety offence on behalf of the company and in relation to his role as director.

Trading Standards made a formal test-purchase at Balti Palace in Darton of a mutton bhuna, saying it was for someone with a dairy allergy. Despite it being labelled as dairy-free tests showed that it did contain dairy.

A similar incident happened in 2025 at the business when a dairy-free balti was found to contain dairy.

The business was ordered to pay £9,396 and Mr Islam £1,612. This included a fine, prosecution costs and a victim surcharge.

Cllr Sam Burdett, Barnsley Council’s cabinet spokesperson for communities, said: “People with food allergies place their trust in businesses every time they order a meal.

“When a customer specifically requests a dairy-free dish and makes clear it is for someone with a milk allergy, they are entitled to expect that what arrives is exactly what was promised.

“This case is particularly concerning because it was not an isolated incident. The business had previously been warned and given advice following a similar breach, yet dairy was again found in a meal sold as dairy-free.

“Selling a meal as dairy-free when it contains dairy is not simply a mistake on a menu. It has the potential to place people’s health at risk and undermines public confidence in food businesses.

“If standards are not improved following advice and previous warnings, those who seek to mislead customers can expect to be identified and fined.”