West Sussex County Council’s Trading Standards service has successfully prosecuted LDN Noots Limited, trading as London Nootropics, for violating food safety regulations. The company has been ordered to pay a total penalty of £5,134.27 following a hearing at Crawley Magistrates Court on Friday 7 March.
London Nootropics, which sells adaptogenic coffee blends, was found to have breached the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulations 2007 and the Novel Foods Regulations 2018. The allegations involved the unapproved inclusion of CBD, deemed to be a novel food, as well as featuring unauthorised health and nutrition claims on product packaging.
Despite receiving a formal warning in November 2023, London Nootropics continued selling non-compliant food products through their website. Test purchases of their Zen Adaptogenic Coffee, Flow Adaptogenic Coffee and Mojo Adaptogenic Coffee all failed to meet regulatory standards.
The case, led by West Sussex Trading Standards, resulted in guilty pleas from the company’s directors.
Cllr Duncan Crow, Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue, said: “This prosecution sends a clear message that we will not tolerate businesses misleading consumers with unauthorised health claims or selling products that fail to meet legal standards.
“West Sussex Trading Standards remains committed to protecting the public and ensuring businesses operate responsibly. Companies that disregard food regulations risk significant financial penalties and damage to their reputation.”
This case highlights the importance of compliance with food safety and labelling regulations. Misleading health claims can give consumers false confidence in a product’s benefits, potentially leading them to make uninformed decisions about their health. Ensuring accurate, evidence-based labelling helps protect public health and maintains trust in the food industry.
If you would like to report a food safety violation, please visit: Report an incident or issue to Trading Standards - West Sussex County Council.
