Shop owners warned on non-English labels

A good number of shops in Port Moresby have been given warning letters to comply with the ban on the sale of non-English labelled food stuff.

According the country’s consumer watch dog, the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC), these shops have been found through their inspections, to be still selling the banned food items despite a ban coming into effect at the beginning of this month.

According to the Supervisor of Investigations in the Consumer Protection Division of ICCC, Ms Julie Wulwarau, after these shops are given warning letters, ICCC officers will return to these shops after two weeks time to see if they have removed the banned items.

Failure to do so will result in the Commission filing proceedings against shop owners under the Food and Sanitation Act 2007, which clearly states that all food items in the country have to be labelled in English.

“So far 10 of 16 suburbs in Port Moresby have been covered by our inspecting officers, the inspections will continue next week and weeks to come until we remove the banned food items off shop shelves,” says Ms Wulwarau.

The ban comes after a notice of intention to ban such products was circulated widely to business houses around the country earlier this year following complaints of foreign goods with no proper English labels having the possibility of causing harm to an individual’s health.

It is also in line with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) guidelines for consumer organisations to promote national food safety systems and one of the main areas under their guidelines is for governments to establish requirements for proper food labelling and risk management.

Meanwhile, she says others regions through ICCC regional offices have also kicked started their inspections in shops in each province.

 

PNG Today / PNGVILLAGE