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SHOPPERS FOOD MART LTD. FINED $3,250 FOR SELLING FOOD WITHOUT A BEST BEFORE DATE

Shoppers Food Mart Ltd. entered a guilty plea in Vanderhoof Provincial Court on Feb. 10, 2004, to one count of violating the Food and Drugs Act. The company was fined $3,250 for labelling food, in a manner that was false, misleading or deceptive or which was likely to create an erroneous impression.

On Dec. 17, 2002, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) conducted an inspection at the Shoppers Food Mart Ltd. in Fraser Lake, B.C. During the inspection, the CFIA found 113 packages of various branded prepackaged meat products, that did not bear the required "best before date" for sale. An additional five packages of prepackaged meat products had their "best before date" covered with a price tag.

Under the Food and Drugs Act, a prepackaged product having a durable life of 90 days or less is packaged at a place other than the retail premises from which it is sold, must bear the durable life date. The CFIA works diligently to prevent any labelling, packaging or advertising of any food in a matter that would mislead or deceive consumers.

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