The Zambia Bureau of Standards, ZABS, has confiscated expired goods valued at 8,000 Kwacha from Spar Chipata Branch.
Head of Marketing and Public Relations, Hazel Zulu says this was after a routine market surveillance and inspection that was conducted by ZABS on April 1st.
Mrs. Zulu says inspectors in the area are targeting products falling under the ZABS voluntary certificate scheme and those falling under compulsory standards.
She says 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.
Mrs. Zulu says the product that were confiscated include 12 by 25 kilograms of Apricon Jam valued at 6,000 Kwacha, Bakel plastic icing sugar valued at 539 kwacha, Chock Chip, a product used in baking valued at 1, 563 Kwacha and B-sure pie filling valued at 280 Kwacha.
She says all the products were seized in accordance with the Public Health Act.
Mrs. Zulu says ZABS inspectors have engaged SPAR management to educate them on the need for them to buy products from certified suppliers to avoid being caught unawares.
She says management at SPAR will be penalised a sum of 15 per cent of the total value of the confiscated products.
Mrs. Zulu has urged traders to have effective stock rotation plan schedules to ensure that the stocks in their warehouses are sold on first in first out basis to avoid keeping goods that have expired due to poor warehouse practices.
She says ZABS has a mandate of safeguarding the health and safety of the public and warned traders, importers and suppliers that they risk having their products confiscated.