MADRID: The Fairplay anti dumping movement says it was dismayed to discover bulk packs of chicken for sale at a Makro store with a label claiming nine possible countries of origin. The discovery led Fairplay founder Francois Baird to email the Commissioner of the National Consumer Commission, Ebrahim Mohamed, appealing to him to launch an investigation into the labelling practices of frozen imported chicken that is being dumped in South Africa.
Citing concerns about food safety and traceability, Baird noted that this practice denies South African consumers the right to know which country or even which continent the chicken originated from. “In the event of illness or contamination, it would be impossible to trace this product back to the country, exporter or abattoir concerned,” he writes. South African chicken producers, on the other hand, have to comply with strict health and safety regulations, which includes clear labels stating origin. This small pack comes potentially from nine countries on three continents. This is dangerous from a food safety and traceability point of view. In the event of illness or contamination, it would be impossible to trace this product back to the country, exporter or abattoir concerned. It is also bad from a consumer information point of view, as the consumer cannot judge accurately which country, or even continent, the chicken comes from.
