Destroy food items that have been affected because of power outage and flood waters – Consumer Council

Consumer Council of Fiji Chief Executive Officer, Seema Shandil says retailers should do the right thing by destroying food items and meat that have been affected because of power outage and flood waters.

Shandil says consumers are also urged to exercise their responsibility while purchasing food items, particularly frozen goods.

During Tropical Cyclone Yasa, power failure was experienced by the entire nation and some areas in the North and West are still without electricity.

The council says past experiences reveal that many businesses have made unscrupulous attempts to profit from the sale of damaged goods by selling them at low prices.

Consumers are advised to refrain from purchasing these products as there may be possible contamination. She says food, especially perishable items that require freezing would definitely be affected due to power outage.

It is advisable not to purchase thawed products even if the prices are really low.

The council says consumers can easily identify whether frozen food is thawed or not by looking at its shape as thawed food items generally lose their original shape and will be soft despite supermarket owners switching freezers on again.

The Consumer Council will beef up its monitoring and surveillance at this time to ensure consumers rights to safety are not infringed. Those with concerns regarding the condition of the products sold post-cyclone are urged to contact the Council on toll-free number 155