Supermarket owner to face court on Monday

Tampering of expiration dates

A supermarket owner who was recently found tampering with expiration dates on products and even repackaging foods in an insanitary condition is expected to face the court on Monday.
This was recently related by Head of the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) during an interview with Guyana Times.
The owner of the supermarket was busted during an inspection exercise on the East Coast of Demerara, on October 5, 2018.
According to the GA-FDD, the proprietor of the supermarket which was only recently established was discovered to be repackaging foods under insanitary conditions, selling expired foods and also tampering with expiration dates. This businessperson was found extending the date mark on condensed milk products.
The Department disclosed that fifty-one 395g tins of condensed milk – which had the expiry date tampered with – were seized and removed from the premise.
Criminal proceedings have been instituted against the proprietor in question in the East Demerara Magisterial District in accordance with the laws of Guyana – Food and Drug Act Chapter 34:03 Section 35.
Under this law, Part II (5) states: “any person who sells an article of food that is unfit for human consumption or was manufactured, prepared, packaged or stored under the unsanitary condition is guilty of an offence.”
Part II (6) Food and Drug Act Cap 34:03 of 1971 went on to outline that: “Any person who labels, packages, treats, processes, sells or advertises any food in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive or is likely to create an erroneous impression regarding its character, value, quality, composition, merit or safety is guilty of an offence.”
“Consumers are again asked to ensure that all items of food have a label, is English translated and to ensure the dates are closely examined and not altered or tampered with,” the Department warned.
The GA-FDD is calling on consumers to pay closer attention to the expiry dates on products being sold, particularly in supermarkets along the East Coast, East Bank, and West Coast of Demerara as a result of the recent discovery.