Following a ruling in February this year which meant that retailers were required to remove daffodil bulbs from aisles displaying fruit and vegetables for sale – to prevent shoppers confusing them with onions or vegetable produce grown overseas – officials at a shopping centre in Worcestershire recently put up a notice to warn customers about falling magnolia flowers.
Managers at the St Andrews Square shopping precinct in Droitwich were concerned about wet petals and leaves falling from the magnolia tree and accumulating on the ground.
They feared that the potential slipping hazard was likely to increase the risk of shoppers falling over and sustaining injuries, and also make the centre more vulnerable to being sued.
In a bid to avoid accidents and legal action, the management team displayed a sign to alert people to the “dangerous slippery magnolia petals”, despite no injuries being reported as a result of the petals in the past.
Sean Sollom, Manager of the St Andrews Square retail area, said: “Someone can always slip on something in this day and age, never say never.
“People do walk around not aware of the risk to themselves [and] might not see these petals on the floor.
“It’s a potential hazard and a health and safety thing.
“All bases are covered, especially with the culture of ‘where’s there’s blame there’s a claim’.”
Earlier this year, Public Health England contacted national supermarkets to warn of the risks posed by daffodil bulbs to customers.
63 people have been contaminated by eating some part of a daffodil over the course of the last six years.