PETER MALASH writes
@SunZambian
MKUSHI District Council has seized an assortment of expired goods and foreign labelled products from shops around central business centre
The seized goods included lotions, foodstuffs, soaps and various groceries found displayed on shelves.
Council public relations officer Tamara Jacobs confirmed the seizure of goods in a statement issued to the Sun.
Ms. Jacobs said, several shops were found selling expired goods to consumers contrary to the Public Health Act Cap 295 as well as the food and drugs act 303 of the Local government Act 281, that also gave the council mandate to carry out inspections to suppress and control communicable diseases.
She said, the local authority had noted with concern that many shops did not remove expired products from shelves, thereby posing a healthy risk to consumers who were in the habit of not reading product labels to check expiry dates.
“The council has observed that many shops do not remove expired products from their shelves when they have reached their expiry dates.
“This poses a health risk to the consumers who sometimes neglect to read the labels on the product to check the expiry dates,” Ms. Jacobs said.
Ms. Jacobs said that, in the interest of consumer protection, the council had intensified health inspections to ensure that perpetuators of the vice were brought to book.
She further warned that, the local authority would not hesitate to revoke trading licences for those found wanting.
Ms. Jacobs has since appealed to consumers to pay attention to details labelled on products because expired products were a serious health risk.
