Four supermarkets in the greater Suva area have been caught selling expired food items.
The Consumer Council of Fiji discovered these breaches during a surprise inspection on Tuesday.
The discovery of one supermarket deliberately tampering with expiry dates, leaving ink marks in place of critical consumer information, has heightened worries.
Council chief executive Seema Shandil emphasised the critical role of preserving consumer confidence.
“Such practices are not only against ethical norms but endanger consumers’ health,”
“The fact that an astonishing 4 supermarkets were found retailing expired products, with one removing expiry dates, is extremely concerning. This was discovered on the very first day of snap surveillances, indicating a systemic issue which may be becoming a common practice in our marketplace.”
Following these revelations, the Council has taken swift action, warning the implicated supermarkets and initiating dialogue with their directors.
They also engaged the corresponding municipal council, leading to more stringent measures against these retail outlets.
The Council has also requested increased vigilance from regulatory agencies and emphasised that items posing potential health risks should never have been on sale to begin with.
Consumers are reminded to remain vigilant by always checking expiry dates and reporting any violations.
