Major supermarket referred to Health Department for alleged expiry date tampering

A major supermarket in Fiji has been referred to the Health Department by the Consumer Council of Fiji for allegedly tempering with the expiry date on a dairy product.

The Council says during a recent routine market surveillance, they uncovered yet another alarming case where a supermarket had deliberately altered the expiry date on a product.

They say this deceptive practice misleads consumers and undermines their right to safe and reliable products.

The Council says the major supermarket chain, which has branches in most towns and cities in Fiji, was found tampering with expiry dates on a dairy product, which is known to spoil very quickly.

They say the original expiry date on the product label, which was clearly marked as November 2024, was allegedly deliberately blocked out using a permanent marker and a new, fraudulent expiry date of 2025 was then printed on the container, misleading unsuspecting consumers.

The Council is strongly condemning this supermarket for its blatant disregard for consumer rights and public safety.

They say such actions are not only unethical but also a serious violation of trust.

They say as a result, the matter has been officially referred to the Health Department under the respective Municipal Council for further investigation and enforcement actions.

The Council is also reminding food retailers that tampering with expiry dates is a direct violation of the Food Safety Act and Food Safety Regulations.

According to the Act, it is strictly prohibited to sell any food where essential information regarding an important aspect of the product has been concealed or presented in a misleading manner.

The Council says such violations not only compromise consumer safety but also carry serious legal consequences.

Consumer Council CEO Seema Shandil says supermarkets have been repeatedly warned about such deceptive practices, yet some continue to engage in them knowingly.

She says this is an unacceptable breach of consumer trust, and they will not tolerate such reckless behaviour.

Shandil says the Council, in collaboration with municipal councils, will continue to closely monitor supermarkets and hold accountable those who violate consumer rights.