Members of the public have been targeted in Mayfield and Eastbourne by cold callers selling fish from a white van. The fish is of poor quality and expensive. Several varieties are on sale but the majority of packaging has no weight or date markings. There is also a total lack of information about the food producer.
A local fishmonger examined the fish with trading standards and confirmed that it is vastly over-priced and of very poor quality.
Commenting, Councillor Bob Tidy, Lead Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: "There are still some reputable fishmongers who call door to door on a regular basis and the public can confidently buy fish from them. Cold-calling itinerant traders are unlikely to be so reliable. Pre-packed fish should be marked with certain information which is there to inform consumers what they are buying, how much of it and its shelf life. These unfortunate incidents are yet more examples of a cold-calling trader cheating East Sussex residents and I urge consumers to think twice before they buy from strangers on the doorstep”.
Any consumers who are approached by fishmongers not known in their area, please advise the East Sussex Trading Standards Service on 01323 418200 or email trading.standards@eastsussex.gov.uk.
Reference:
04/413/JW
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