Giant retailer Woolworths says it is aware of the recent investigation by the South African Police Service (SAPS) after they discovered a counterfeit operation involving canned pilchards in Woolworths-branded cartons found in a facility in Gauteng.
Earlier this week, Gauteng police raided premises in Daleside near Meyerton. They found printing equipment to alter expiration dates and a batch of falsely labelled canned pilchards.
WOOLWORTHS WEIGHS IN ON CANNED PILCHARDS FOUND IN DALESIDE
Gauteng police spokesperson captain Tintswalo Sibeko said the raid took place at premises in Daleside, near Meyerton.
Sibeko said seven illegal immigrants aged between 18 and 29 were arrested while the owner of the establishment remains at large.
Woolworths said that while this investigation is ongoing, they have strong reason to believe that the product in question may have formed part of an imported shipment from an international supplier that Woolworths rejected because it failed to meet its stringent quality control standards.
The retailer said that if a product is rejected, the supplier’s immediate responsibility is to responsibly collect and dispose of the stock from its warehouse.
“We have launched our investigation to determine why this process was not adhered to in this instance. At Woolworths, we take food safety and the well-being of our customers extremely seriously. It is our number one priority.
“We would therefore like to remind our customers that Woolworths-labelled products must only be purchased at Woolworths stores or through our online channel,” the company said.
WHAT DO YOU THINK SHOULD BE DONE TO DEAL WITH THE INCREASING NUMBER OF COUNTERFEIT FOOD STUFF?
Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.
