Newbury superstore accused of potentially putting customers at risk

SUPERMARKET giant Sainsbury's has been accused of potentially putting customers' safety at risk at its Newbury superstore.

The company is charged with "failing to make suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk to health and safety" of non-employees, including customers, to ensure they were not exposed to risks.

Sainsbury's is also accused of being an employer which "failed to conduct your undertaking in such a way to ensure, so far as was reasonably practicable, that persons not in your employment who may have been affected thereby, were not exposed to risks to their health and safety".

Both offences were said to have been committed on or about June 21 last year, contrary to a section of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Magistrates adjourned both matters until December, when a case management hearing is scheduled which representatives of the company will be expected to attend and to enter pleas.