The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission, Consumer Council of Fiji, Ministry of Health and Municipal Councils have partnered to conduct a comprehensive joint inspection campaign focused on ensuring the highest standards of food safety across Fiji.
The collaborative inspections are targeting various aspects of food safety, including hygiene, storage, and distribution practices in markets, restaurants, and food production facilities across the nation.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Co-operatives, Small and Medium Enterprises and Communications, Manoa Kamikamica says the enhanced joint initiative represents a united and robust approach to safeguarding public health.
“There is a need for increased vigilance, particularly during the festive season.”
“Protecting the Fijian people is our highest priority, and we will rigorously enforce all regulations and take decisive actions against any violations to guarantee the health and well-being of our citizens.”
“We will employ all available resources to ensure all traders adhere strictly to the standards set forth in the Food and Safety Act and through this initiative, we are hoping to set a new benchmark in food safety.”
FCCC chief executive Joel Abraham said based on the promising results from their initial collaborations, where their team conducted inspections alongside various municipal councils, this enhanced collaboration with the Ministry and Consumer Council should yield even better results.
“By combining our collective resources and diverse expertise, we should be able to address food safety concerns with greater efficiency and precision.”
“As we are in the midst of the festive season, many consumers will be spending significantly. From past experience, we are aware that some traders exploit the shopping frenzy to hastily profit from consumers.”
“Through these inspections, we aim to address these unscrupulous traders and ensure that consumers remain protected,” says Council CEO Seema Shandil.
Under this multi-agency effort, 131 inspections have been carried out across Fiji from 01 December till date.
This includes 55 inspections by the FCCC and Ministry of Health, and 95 inspections by the Consumer Council.
Some major issues identified during these inspections include the sale of expired food products, missing price tags, excessive prices on price-controlled items, discoloured meat, and flies/ pests present in food establishments and supermarkets, among other issues.
“While we have seen many businesses operating ethically and complying, there are certain unscrupulous traders who try to get away with duping consumers. So far, our teams have issued 33 warning letters to traders who were found in breach, and we will be re-visiting the places where these notices have been issued to monitor compliance,” said Shandil.
FCCC has also issued multiple businesses with notices to comply and has emphasized a zero-tolerance policy towards any breaches.
“Our message is clear – food safety is paramount. We will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that all food providers adhere to the strictest safety protocols. Non-compliance will be met with stringent actions as per the law,” Abraham stressed.
The joint inspections will continue throughout the festive season to ensure that consumer rights remain upheld, and traders remain compliant.
