A number of businesses who are repeatedly defying the Food Safety Act have been referred to the Municipal Councils and the Ministry of Health.

Consumer Council Chief Executive Seema Shandil says they are now pushing for urgent and stringent actions as most businesses in breach of consumer protection laws were repeat offenders.

Shandil says a spot check carried out in the last three months reveal that an astonishing 64 percent of food and drink retailers surveyed were non-compliant to consumer protection laws, mainly food safety.

She says the practices discovered are not only unethical and a breach of consumer protection laws but shows malicious intent of some businesses to profit.

The Consumer Council CEO says many traders continue to defy food safety regulations and were found retailing expired food items.

She adds that they also discovered tampering of expiry dates, selling prohibited food items, selling priced control items above regulated price and food establishments preparing food in unhygienic conditions.

“The high number of repeat offenders despite the Council extending an olive branch to these businesses to work together and resolve issues is a clear indicator that stringent enforcement actions need to be dished out as a deterrence against any future unethical and profiteering behavior.”

Shandil is also urging consumers to refrain from engaging with businesses which are clearly disregarding their rights and retailing shoddy products, which are not merchantable.

She adds that through their demand power, consumers must send a signal to businesses that nothing short of best quality and impeccable services will be accepted.