Haringey shop caught charging £10.99 for eggs as 50 businesses investigated for coronavirus “profiteering”

A shop in Haringey was caught charging £10.99 for a tray of eggs, said Trading Standards. Wikimedia Commons

A shop charging £10.99 for a tray of eggs was among more than 50 businesses reported to trading standards for “profiteering” during the coronavirus lockdown.

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Haringey Council’s Trading Standards department also said it had served four prohibition orders on businesses which remained open during “lockdown” - and was investigating another nine.

The authority said it had served notices on two car washes, a social club and a shisha lounge.

The shisha lounge was instructed to close by both police and Trading Standards officers, but was then witnessed by police to have reopened, so was served with the prohibition order.

The social club was ordered to close after it was caught holding barbecues in its back yard.

The businesses were amongst more than 100 which were reported to Haringey and Camden’s Trading Standards departments during the first three weeks of lockdown measures.

Data released by the two borough councils showed a total of 115 businesses were reported by consumers for either staying open when they should have closed or hiking their prices up to profit from the pandemic.

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Haringey Council has received 52 complaints about ‘profiteering’ amid the national emergency and 28 reports of non-essential businesses failing to cease trading.

It said complaints had been received about gyms, car washes, social clubs and shisha lounges.

Camden Council said it had received 25 complaints about profiteering and 10 about businesses wrongly remaining open, most of which were about shops.

A Camden Council spokesman said: “Premises that are allegedly profiteering have been written to and advised.”

Danny Beales, the council’s cabinet member for investing in communities and an inclusive economy, called on businesses to show community spirit.

He said: “We understand that this is an uncertain and worrying time for businesses in Camden, but more than ever we must work together to slow the spread of covid-19 and help save lives, which means non-essential businesses should close during this pandemic.

“The vast majority of non-essential businesses are following Government guidance and we’ve spoken to those who should have closed but didn’t, and as a result have shut straight away.

“Our teams are also working closely with essential businesses that are open, to ensure they follow guidance on social distancing during this time.”