A Suva based retailer, Ahmed and Company has been fined $10,000 for tampering with the expiry date on Shan Fish Masala.
The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission had brought the matter to the court.
The company was charged for false and misleading representation after it was discovered during a routine inspection conducted by FCCC inspectors that the expiry date on the packets had been altered to read 2019, instead of 2017.
FCCC CEO, Joel Abraham says this was a a gross breach, as the expiry date is meant to inform people of the last day that the product will be safe to consume.
He says they quickly took action, ensuring that a full investigation was done, including getting the trader’s side of the story.
Abraham says in this case, this is the second offence by the company and they are in complete agreement with the court’s decision.
In mitigation, the company submitted that staff had committed the act without the knowledge of the owner to which the court responded that it was not a strong defence and that it is the responsibility of any business to ensure that only safe and consumable products are put for sale.
The company had also pleaded guilty to the charges.
