By Suleman Chitera
The Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) has destroyed approximately 300 bales of expired soya chunks manufactured by Meru after they were confiscated from Price Worthy Wholesale in Limbe, Blantyre, in a major crackdown aimed at protecting consumers from unsafe food products.
Speaking during the disposal exercise in Salima on Friday, MBS Public Relations Officer Annie Maliha said the expired products were discovered during a routine market surveillance operation conducted earlier this month.
According to Maliha, inspectors found that the wholesale outlet was selling soya chunks that had expired in March this year, putting unsuspecting consumers at risk.MBS warns against unidentified and smuggled products
“MBS immediately confiscated the products and imposed a K2 million fine on the wholesaler for breaching consumer protection regulations,” she said.
The destruction of the products sends a strong warning to businesses that continue to stock and sell expired goods despite regulations designed to safeguard public health.
Maliha also expressed concern over interference from some community members during product disposal exercises. She revealed that MBS officers occasionally face resistance, threats, and attempts by people living near dumpsites to retrieve confiscated goods earmarked for destruction.NBS Bank partners with Beautify Malawi to donate K100 million items to charity
“We urge members of the public to stay away from disposal sites and avoid interfering with these exercises, as the products being destroyed are unfit for human consumption,” she said.
Meanwhile, MBS has assured Malawians that it will intensify inspections in shops, supermarkets, and markets across the country to ensure consumers have access to safe, quality, and compliant products.
The bureau says continued market surveillance remains critical in protecting public health and maintaining confidence in products sold on the market.
The development highlights MBS’s ongoing commitment to enforcing quality standards and holding businesses accountable for practices that endanger consumers.FIFA Rankings: Tanzania climbs six places