By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has sized expired energy drinks worth K240,000.
CCPC Public Relations Office Rainford Mutabi said the drinks were seized by the in a joint inspection conducted on March 14, 2022 with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Chipata City Council (CCC) in Chipata District.
Mr Mutabi said the drinks seized were Ninja and Ginger carbonated drinks were found to have expired in July 2021, and therefore were not fit for human consumption.
He said selling or offering for sale products not fit for purpose or expired is against the Competition and Consumer Protection Act as well as the Food and Safety act.
Mr Mutabi said the seizure of the goods was conducted after a Scania truck laden with 1,500 bottles of expired energy drinks was intercepted by a team of Health Inspectors along Chipata’s Kawalala Road of Old Jim township.
He said during the same inspection, the team also seized additional 2,500 bottles of the energy drinks from a warehouse allegedly belonging to a Chipata Businessman Mr Gulam Patel.
“The energy drinks were further disposed of and destroyed by CCC in the presence of its two partners. The three institutions wish to caution all suppliers, retailers, and distributors to desist from engaging in the sale of unsuitable products including products which would have exceeded their shelf life as such products are not fit for human consumption,” he said.
Mr Mutabi said CCPC, MoH and CCC will continue working together in their quest to ensure that consumers are protected in Zambia through enforcement of their respective mandates.
