Cafe operator fined £18,000 after girl's fatal milkshake

Cafe operator Baris Yucel has been fined £18,000 and handed a community order after a 12-year-old girl died from a severe allergic reaction to a contaminated milkshake. Mia Shay St Hilaire suffered a fatal reaction after consuming hazelnut residue in a Twix milkshake prepared at the Pop Inn Cafe on Southwark Park Road.

An inquest at London Inner South Coroner’s Court concluded that Mia, who had a known hazelnut allergy, died in August 2023 after consuming the drink. The milkshake had been cross-contaminated with hazelnut residue from a previous Kinder Bueno milkshake prepared in the same unwashed blender.

CCTV evidence and guilty plea

CCTV footage presented at the inquest showed that Mr Yucel did not clean the blender before preparing Mia’s milkshake. He subsequently pleaded guilty to six food safety offences. These included failing to make allergen advice available to consumers, not managing allergen contamination during food production, and serving food containing an undeclared allergen.

Southwark Council brought the case against the cafe operator. Mr Yucel was fined £18,000 and given a 100-hour community order in January 2025.

Parents' call for allergy rating system

Mia's parents, Adrian and Chanel St Hilaire, stated that they are convinced significant changes are needed to protect individuals with food allergies. They highlighted that current food hygiene ratings do not inform consumers about a business's allergy management systems.

They are calling for a separate, clearly displayed rating system specifically for allergy management, similar to the existing food hygiene rating. This, they believe, would enable people with allergies to make informed choices about where they eat, preventing others from enduring similar devastation.

Michelle Victor, a partner at Leigh Day representing the family, noted that Mia’s death highlights serious concerns about how food allergies are understood and managed within the food service industry. She added that the family has called upon the Food Standards Agency and relevant authorities to review current food allergy safety frameworks.

Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, founder of Natasha’s Foundation, whose daughter died from an allergic reaction, commented that the inquest illustrates the need for improved awareness, understanding, and regulation of food allergies. She emphasised that food allergen regulations should be as important as food hygiene, stating that current monitoring systems are inadequate.

Inquest conclusion

The inquest at London Inner South Coroner’s Court concluded with a narrative verdict. Mia’s parents stated that they want to make sure change is Mia’s legacy to help save lives in the future, and that no family should have to lose a child in these circumstances.