By ALICE NACHILEMBE
A combined team from Livingstone City Council and Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) have seized goods worth about K16, 000 from various markets.
The seized articles which include food stuff and cosmetics were expired, had damaged packages, dented tins, recalled products and those that were inadequately labeled, that is, they had no expiry dates and net content indicated on their labels.
LCC Assistant Public Relations Manager Mumba Mafwenko said these articles were in violation of the Food and Drug Acts 303 and the Competition and Consumer Protection Act No. 24 of 2010.
Ms Mafwenko said the Local Authority would therefore like to warn traders who are in the habit of selling such products to unsuspecting consumers to detest from the trend or face the law.
“Our appeal to traders is that they need to be alert and ensure they check the expiry dates of their consignment as they are ordering their goods. They should also handle the products with care to avoid any damages to the products before they are displayed in their shops,” she said.
She said expired or damaged products have the potential to cause diseases on the consumers who the Council have the right to protect.
Ms Mafwenko has advised members of the general public to check the labels of their products for details before they make any purchases to get value for their money.
She said the Local Authority in the interest of consumer protection is intensifying its health inspections to ensure perpetuators are brought to book by being fined, prosecuted, imprisoned for not less than three months or have their trading licenses revoked.
