SPAR Downtown and Spar Crossroads have been fined K63 million each for allegedly selling expired products and goods without labels.
A Lusaka Magistrate Court fined the two shopping outlets after finding them guilty of the material charge contrary to Section 50 (1) and (2) as read with Section 52(1) of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act number 24 of 2010.
This relates to a matter in which the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), jointly with the Lusaka City Council Public Health department, carried out random inspections in Lusaka’s retail shops including Spar Downtown and Spar Crossroads.
It was found that the two shops allegedly had a number of products displayed on their shelves for sell to customers that were found to have had either expired or had no expiry dates, or no proper labeling.
This is according to the statement released yesterday by CCPC public relations officer Hanford Chaaba in Lusaka.
In passing the sentence, the magistrate fined both Spar Downtown and Spar Crossroads 150,000 penalty unit’s equivalent to K27 million each for breaching Section 50 (1) and (2) of the CCP Act.
The Court also fined the two 200,000 penalty units (equivalent to K36 million) each for breaching Section 52(1) of the same Act.
Section 50(1) and (2) of the CCPA states: “A product that is sold in Zambia shall have a label to product labeling clearly indicate the product name, the ingredients used in the product, the date of manufacture and expiry of the product, the manufacturer’s name, the physical location of the manufacturer, the telephone number and any other contact details of the manufacturer.
“A person or an enterprise shall not sell any goods to consumers unless the goods conform to the mandatory consumer product information standard for the class of goods set by the Zambia Bureau of Standards or other relevant competent body”.
Section 52(1) states that a person or enterprise should not sell any goods to consumers unless the goods conform to the mandatory safety standard for the class of goods set by the Zambia Bureau of Standards or other relevant competent body.
In September this year a Lusaka Magistrate Court found guilty and fined Mercury Express Logistics Zambia Limited, Mark Foden and Charles Nkandu K8 million on one count of effecting a merger acquisition without the authority from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
Good job council!
Our penalties need to be more severe in order to be effective deterrents. In modern day Zambia, a firm like Spar must pay at least a Billion Kwacha for it to feel really sorry.
Good job, should have been stiffer but this is enough for starters.
Fantastic job!!! But dont be selective ba council all the supermarkets.
good job. check the mwenye shops too and use the money to clean up the city.
The fine is just too small to a company with outlets all over the world.
They can not do that in Europe these bastards.
Please, check Shoprite Mazabuka too. they sell rotten vegetables, even rtten od from the restuarant, and when it comes to expired good ni *talk to my hand*
Please, check Shoprite Mazabuka too. they sell rotten vegetables, even rottten food from the restuarant, and when it comes to expired good ni *talk to my hand*
With the expected standards by such well known shops, this is really embarrassing! It’s good this has finally come to light. I once bought some polony at Arcades Spar (2006) for my girlfriend. I was at college then. Please do not shoot me, I leant my lesson. I did not check the expiry date and when I gave it to her, the first thing she checked was the expiry date and EISH!!! I have to think twice before entering spar since then…
I learnt my lesson, I meant to say.
That is Spar for you. Even their restaurant food scares me as I suspect it to be recycled and we heard this from their own workers a few years ago at Arcades.
In fact it is all the shops in Zambia. For example they do not have expiry dates on Chickens, Beef, Bread and many other perishable a thing which is a master in Europe. Where they have an expiry date then it will be unreasonably long like 2 months or so for chickens and the like.
Shoprite chingola is another store full of expired items
great make penalties more severe and do regular inspections authorities.
There is a lot of unethical behavior going on. Now they will be falsely labeling expiry dates on expired goods. It is a dangerous world. I think I will buy me a small lab for my kitchen to test what I buy before I consume. It is a dangerous world only bent on making moola!!
Try eating more of your own grown food my bro. Its better than these processed foods we are eating from Supermarkets.
Good job ba council, try to visit matero shoprite also
NOW WHERE IS THE MONEY BECAUSE ITS US THE PEOPLE WHO EAT THE EXPIRED FOOD.
How much has the POST NEWS PAPER been charged for selling us an EXPIRED PRESIDENT..?
Please check state house as well too many expired promises.
Why not fine Zambia too for ushering in expired politicians? Ukwa himself has no label as he also comes out like a cadre, comedian, opposition leader etc. This must be contrary to some rule somewhere
@ concernedcitizen. Can you please make a constructive contribution to the story, just this once!
As for spar am not suprised as the owners are well known for doing dubious business.
In South Africa they display a different price on the shelf and when you go to the Cashier you get another price. That is Spar for you. Very useless
#4,Uncle dizzy,naukolwa kale…teba council its CCPC mune!!!
#17,kekekekekekekekeke! I am alone in the office but I cant stopp laughing..u just made my day man! Expired president indeed!!
@20, maja the elephant. my bro.. the old adage goes like..”never argue with a fool cos……….
No 20 & 25, i stopped a long time ago taking Sata serious as his shown his a comedian so whats the point of advising someone whose keen on not taking advise or do the exact opposite.
yes am jokingly putting across a point but you too emotional to read in between my joke, if i may pose a question to you both if i stop joking will you guarantee me that sata also stop?
i think we all know the answer is NO. Sata is the fool but you are a bigger fool for believing his foolishness.
I worked for Innscor back than (spar, pizza inn, galitos, chicken inn and vasilis) when we told these mzumgu bosses about the expired products their reply was its only for black people they will eat the expired products. this is the same company the boss Leighton shaw was fined for calling zambians kaffirs by the local courts. how does our government allow people like this to do business in zambia?
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