• The seizure of the goods was conducted after a Scania truck laden with 1,500 bottles of expired energy drinks was intercepted.
• The energy drinks were further disposed of and destroyed by CCC in the presence of its two partners.
• CCPC, MoH and CCC will continue working together in their quest to ensure that consumers are protected in Zambia.
Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has seized expired energy drinks worth K240, 000 in a joint inspection conducted on 14th March 2022 with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Chipata City Council (CCC) in Chipata District of Eastern Province.
CCPC Public Relations Officer Reinford Mutabi disclosed The seizure of the goods was conducted after a Scania truck laden with 1,500 bottles of expired energy drinks was intercepted by a team of Health Inspectors along Chipata’s Kawalala Road of Old Jim township.
Mr. Mutabi explained the drinks seized; Ninja and Ginger carbonated drinks were found to have expired in July 2021, and therefore were not fit for human consumption.
He further revealed that during the same inspection, CCPC, MoH and CCC also seized additional 2,500 bottles of the energy drinks from a warehouse allegedly belonging to a Chipata Businessman Mr. Gulam Patel.
“The energy drinks were further disposed of and destroyed by CCC in the presence of its two partners,” Mr. Mutabi noted.
“Selling or offering for sale products not fit for purpose or expired is against the Competition and Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) No. 24 of 2010 as well as the Food and Safety Act No. 7 of 2019,” he indicated.
“The three institutions wish to caution all suppliers, retailers, and distributors to desist from engaging in the sale of unsuitable products including products which would have exceeded their shelf life as such products are not fit for human consumption,” Reinford Mutabi, CCPC Public Relations Officer stated.
He has since sated that CCPC, MoH and CCC will continue working together in their quest to ensure that consumers are protected in Zambia through enforcement of their respective mandates.
