Fishy Tactics
Some unscrupulous fish and chip shops stand accused of passing off Vietnamese cobbler as cod.
The cobbler, an ugly looking type of catfish, has white flesh and flavour very similar to our resident seaside staple. Once coated in batter it looks virtually the same as cod, although it comes in at less than half the wholesale price.
The credit crunch has forced some fish and chip shops to employ sneaky cod impersonation tactics to bolster their floundering profits.
But it's a false economy with offenders facing a fine of up to £20,000 under the Food Safety Act.
The first case of fish malpractice was uncovered at the Cat Hill fish bar in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. The owner was fined £8,000 plus costs, reduced to £4,000 plus costs after an appeal.
John Dell, of Worcestershire Trading Standards, said: "We discovered the fraud after a woman contacted us convinced that the fish she had been served wasn't cod. We conducted tests and eventually found it was pangasius (cobbler).
"There is nothing wrong with this fish and it is widely available here in supermarkets and restaurants. People have been looking for more sustainable fish species to protect cod stocks. But if pangasius is sold, it has to be labelled as such. It cannot just be substituted for cod. That is not fair on the customer or to other local businesses in competition with the fraudster."
Many fish and chip shops sell cheaper cod alternatives, which must be clearly labelled as such.
The cobbler, an ugly looking type of catfish, has white flesh and flavour very similar to our resident seaside staple. Once coated in batter it looks virtually the same as cod, although it comes in at less than half the wholesale price.
The credit crunch has forced some fish and chip shops to employ sneaky cod impersonation tactics to bolster their floundering profits.
But it's a false economy with offenders facing a fine of up to £20,000 under the Food Safety Act.
The first case of fish malpractice was uncovered at the Cat Hill fish bar in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. The owner was fined £8,000 plus costs, reduced to £4,000 plus costs after an appeal.
John Dell, of Worcestershire Trading Standards, said: "We discovered the fraud after a woman contacted us convinced that the fish she had been served wasn't cod. We conducted tests and eventually found it was pangasius (cobbler).
"There is nothing wrong with this fish and it is widely available here in supermarkets and restaurants. People have been looking for more sustainable fish species to protect cod stocks. But if pangasius is sold, it has to be labelled as such. It cannot just be substituted for cod. That is not fair on the customer or to other local businesses in competition with the fraudster."
Many fish and chip shops sell cheaper cod alternatives, which must be clearly labelled as such.
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