By JULIUS PHIRI –
THE Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) has confiscated expired goods valued at K8, 000 from Spar Chipata Branch.
Head of Marketing and Public Relations Hazel Zulu told Breeze News monitored in Chipata on Friday that this was after a routine market surveillance and inspection that was conducted by ZABS on April 1.
Ms Zulu said inspectors in the area were targeting products falling under the ZABS voluntary certificate scheme and those falling under compulsory standards.
She said during the inspection, products were checked for details such as brand name, contact detail of the manufacturer, expiry date, date of manufacturing and batch numbers.
Ms Zulu said the products that were confiscated include 12 by 25 kg of Apricon Jam valued at K6,000 , Bakel plastic icing sugar valued at K539, Chock Chip, a product used in baking valued at K1, 563 and B-sure pie filling valued at K280.
She said all the products were seized in accordance with the Public Health Act.
Ms Zulu said ZABS inspectors had engaged Spar management to educate them on the need to buy products from certified suppliers to avoid being caught unaware.
She said management at Spar would be penalised with a sum of 15 per cent of the total value of the confiscated products.
Ms Zulu urged traders to have effective stock rotation plan schedules to ensure that the stocks in their warehouses were sold on first in first out basis to avoid keeping goods that had expired due to poor warehouse practices.
She said ZABS had a mandate of safeguarding the health and safety of the public and warned traders, importers and suppliers that they risk having their products confiscated.