If you're a lover of a takeaway doner kebab, the ingredients may not bear close scrutiny. But investigators have revealed that millions of people are likely to have eaten kebabs made with goat, skin and fat when they thought they were buying lamb meat. According to BBC News, the fraud by Kismet Kebabs, which describes itself as one of the UK's largest doner kebab makers, is being compared to the 2013 horsemeat lasagne scandal.
What Happened
Kismet Kebabs advertised and labelled its lamb doner kebabs as being made with up to 87% lamb – depending on the recipe. However, concerns were raised when trading standards officers in Swansea began DNA testing doner meat from takeaways in the city in 2020 and 2021. The tests revealed that kebabs labelled as "70% lamb" actually contained "less than 10% sheep". The firm was fined £500,000 after pleading guilty in court to a fraud that dates back to 2021.
Investigation Details
Investigators raided the Kismet factory in Latchingdon, near Chelmsford in May 2021. Rhys Harries, Swansea trading standards officer, said: "We didn't see any lamb apart from lamb fat. There were pallets of goat, pallets of trim, offcuts with high fat content, boxes of fat, boxes of skin, bits of mutton. It all goes into a massive mincer and comes out looking like Play-Doh." The giant kebab sticks were then labelled to suggest they were made with between 50% to 90% lamb. On one production line, the same trays of doner meat were being packed into different packets labelled as "70% lamb" and "50% lamb". Harries said: "We were seeing labels that bore no resemblance to what they were actually putting in."
Scope of the Fraud
| Advertised Lamb Content | Actual Sheep Content (DNA tested) | Substitute Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| 70% lamb | Less than 10% | Goat, skin, fat, mutton offcuts |
| 87% lamb (some products) | Not specified | Goat, skin, fat, mutton offcuts |
The company is estimated to have made £6 million from the fraud. Kismet Kebabs was established in 2008 and produces more than 100 tonnes of kebab varieties every week. The kebabs were sold to fast food outlets "to all corners" of the UK for years.
Compliance Implications
This case mirrors the 2013 horsemeat scandal, which led to a widespread withdrawal of processed foods across Europe. It underscores the importance of supply chain integrity and DNA testing for food safety and product standards. For trade compliance and regulatory professionals, the case highlights the need for rigorous supplier audits and testing regimes, especially when products are imported or sourced from complex supply chains. The UK's Food Standards Agency and local trading standards play a key role in enforcement.
Penalties and Legal Action
The directors of Kismet Kebabs Ltd, Panayiotis Vasilis Michael and Djemal Enver, admitted one count of fraud by false representation. The company was fined £500,000 and is estimated to have made £6m from the fraud. Kismet Kebabs said it related to "historical events that occurred over five years ago" and when they "operated under a different leadership structure".
Resources and Guidance Sources
- BBC News comprehensive coverage of the case.
- The Chartered Trading Standards Institute provides guidance on food fraud detection.
- The Food Standards Agency publishes a Food Crime Strategic Assessment.
