The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in North-Western Province, in collaboration with three local authorities, has seized assorted expired goods worth over K4,985.

According to a statement released by CCPC public relations officer Namukolo Kasumpa, Thursday, the seizure of the goods was conducted during a sensitization and advocacy tour of the province.

“CCPC in collaboration with three local authorities in North-Western Province has seized assorted goods collectively worth over K4, 985 following three separate joint inspection operations conducted in over 56 trading places in February 2018. The items seized include soft drinks, biscuits, juice, baking powder, yeast, tooth paste, blue band butter and cosmetics all which had expired ore were insufficiently labelled and therefore did not meet the mandatory product information standards set by Section 50 of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act No. 24 of 2010 and the Food and Drugs Regulations under the Food and Drugs Act Cap 303 of the Laws of Zambia. The seizure of goods was conducted during a sensitization and advocacy tour of the province aimed at sensitizing the consumers on their rights and obligations as well as inspecting trading premises in selected Districts in the province with view of ascertaining the traders compliance levels with the Competition Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) No. 24 of 2010,” Kasumpa stated.

Meanwhile, CCPC North-Western Provincial InvestigatorJames Chalungumana described sale of expired goods as worrisome.

“CCPC North-Western Provincial Investigator, James Chalungumana explained that expired food items contributed over 90 per cent of the products seized, a situation which was very worrying as the product hinges directly on the lives of the consumers. Mr Chalungumana further commended Kabompo District for having few expired products thereby being most compliant to the CCPA among the three districts inspected. Mr Chalungumana wished to advise consumers to take their obligations seriously by ensuring that they always check for labels and expiry dates on all food and non-food items to ensure the products are at a high level of quality for their intended use. The local authorities involved in the exercise were Mufumbe, Manyinga and Kabompo Districts Councils,” stated Kasumpa.