Recently in Kiev, in one of the supermarkets noticed a cat that freely roamed the trading floor and relieve themselves directly into loose sugar. The next day the network announced that sugar is disposed of, the tank was disinfected and explanatory work with the staff held.
This is not the only case of violation of sanitary standards of food storage in supermarkets. Complaints are often made and the birds flying around the trade halls and cockroaches and other insects that suddenly found bought in bulk rump. The website “Today” decided to find out how to store the food, who can protect the consumer in these situations and what are the penalties for sellers.
What the law says
The Ukrainian Sanitary rules clearly spelled out all the requirements for food storage in supermarkets and other outlets. So, for example, granular products must be stored in bags stacked on racks that are at least 50 cm from walls and 15 cm from the floor. However, the national law provides that these items must be covered to at least some caps.
Same situation with bread products, which typically are in markets on the exposed surfaces. The rules said that for bread storage room must be clean, dry and ventilated, the goods must be located on special shelves and in any case not on the floor.
But, unfortunately, these sanitary norms does not guarantee the purchase of a high quality and unspoiled product. If the regular products sold in jars or cartons, packaging protects it from external influences, products “in bulk” no security at all, so sometimes there can be found very unpleasant surprises.
Where to go
Cereals, flour and sugar often are sold along with the moths and other bugs out there who managed to start. And bread sometimes the whole day lying on the open counter where anyone can touch it with bare hands. If the purchased item is still not compliant, and inside it has long formed a new ecosystem, this product you can always return to the store and demand your money back.
“Buyer may return this product, and he must return the money. Then he can contact the authorities of consumer protection complaints and the requirement to take the necessary measures. If he has suffered some harm, then it is possible to address even the police, for damages associated with the harm done to health”, – said the lawyer Julia Zolotarenko.
For the rights of buyers now meets the State service for food safety and consumer protection, which started in February last year, after combining several inspections and services. Rospotrebsoyuz is entitled to check the observance of the legislation on consumer protection, to carry out checks and due to impose fines.
It is here possible to bring complaints of improper quality of the goods, after which Rospotrebsoyuz may conduct an unscheduled inspection of the institution. But no complaints service is that it can not suddenly be raised with the audit in the store.
What is waiting for sellers of low-quality goods
For products with inadequate quality in the stores provides for a considerable fine. A fairly common situation when buying an expired product: money store returns without scandals, but with the shelving of the product and is not removed. In this case, it is necessary to contact the above authority and request to inspect. Inspectors Rospotrebsoyuz in such cases you will be able to decide what to do with the product next – to dispose of, withdraw from use, to stop production or sale, etc..
According to the law of Ukraine “On protection of consumer rights”, for the sale of goods, shelf life which ended, a penalty equal to 200% of the value of the remainder of the consignment, but not less than 5 non-taxable minimum (85 UAH). If refund money for damaged goods refuse, the penalty will increase to a size ten times the cost of the product.
To avoid becoming a victim of fraud and do not buy low-quality goods, need to remember their consumer rights and not be afraid to tell the stores in their disadvantages. Can just request a refund for a broken product, and “catch up” on shopping by checking, in order to eliminate all the inconsistencies of legislative regulations.
