A Wolverhampton-based sandwich maker will have to take a bite out of its profits after being landed with a £7,000 court bill for using bread trolleys without the necessary permission.
Bakers Basco manages a pool of around three million bread baskets used at various plant bakeries throughout the country.
But Authentic Bite Ltd, in Blakenhall, was caught using them without permission for the second time as the equipment was fitted with tracking devices. It was not established how the firm acquired the baskets.
The sandwich maker accepted the court’s decision and has had to provide a court with a formal undertaking to stop using the baskets and has been told to pay £6,927.55 in damages and costs.
GPS tracking technology played a major role in the investigation and legal hearing, which took place at Wolverhampton County Court.
Evidence included a log and aerial satellite plot showing the movement of Bakers Basco equipment around the defendant’s premises in Moorfield Road over 24 days, from the production line through despatch and then outside to the loading area.
Steve Millward, general m-anager at Bakers Basco, said: “Our recovery team tracked a sizeable amount of our equipment being used by Authentic Bite, through old-fashioned surveillance and also the latest GPS technology.
“It was clear they had been appropriated to transport and store Authentic Bite’s own produce. Our baskets and trolleys are meant for transporting bread, and only bread, safely, cost-effectively and in an environmentally-friendly way, and should not be used without our consent or for any other purpose.”
Authentic Bite Ltd has been caught before using Bakers Basco baskets and wheeled trolleys without authorisation to transport sandwiches and has previously made damages payments totalling £1,400.
At the hearing in Wolverhampton, Bakers Basco also submitted evidence of obstruction and provocative behaviour as part of its application for an injunction.
Deputy District Judge Markland ruled that the injunction would be in place for an indefinite term, and warned Authentic Bite director, Jarnail Singh, he could have assets seized or be sent to prison for contempt of court if he fails to comply.
Bakers Basco was set up in 2006 to buy, manage and police the use of a basket for the delivery of bread to retailers and wholesalers.
It manages a pool of around four million baskets used by around 25 bakers including Allied Bakeries, Fine Lady Bakeries, Frank Roberts & Sons, Hovis and Warburtons. It introduced GPS technology last year to help fight against the theft and abuse of baskets from its network.
Originally posted Express & Star 26 August 2016