Four in court after Norwegian smoked salmon 'falsely labelled as Scottish'

Four people are to appear in court in connection with fraud after Norwegian smoked salmon was allegedly falsely labelled as Scottish.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said four have been charged with conspiring to commit fraud by false representation by representing that salmon products supplied by Bleiker’s Smoke House Ltd were Scottish salmon when the product supplied consisted in full or part of Norwegian salmon.

They attended York Magistrates following a lengthy and complex investigation by the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) National Food Crime Unit (NFCU).

NFCU is working with the CPS and the business, and the case is progressing through the court.

Neil Castle, deputy Head of the FSA’s NFCU, said: “Four people have been charged by the CPS at York Magistrates Court, in connection with this case, following a lengthy and complex NFCU investigation into food fraud.

“This case has now been committed to Teeside Crown Court on February 6, 2026.”

Andrew Cant, specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised the prosecution of four individuals for an offence of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.

“These offences relate to the mis-selling of Scottish salmon when they allegedly contained Norwegian Salmon between August 20, 2021 and March 30, 2022.

“Our prosecutors have worked closely with officers of the Food Standards Agency’s National Food Crime Unit, who have carried out the investigation.

“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against these defendants are active and that they have a right to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”