Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has impounded low quality food and cosmetic items in three western regions of Kigoma, Rukwa and Katavi in a move aimed at protecting consumers from using substandard goods.
TBS conducted operations in 11 councils of the three western regions and managed to seize food and cosmetic products weighing 32.2 kilogrammes and valued 97.7m/-.
The Acting TBS Western Zone Manager, Rodney Alanga said Kigoma over the weekend that the impromptu operations were carried in warehouses, wholesale and retail shops, at the boarders and in the ports.
“The objective of carrying the operations in the western regions is to remove from the market low quality and hazardous products and ultimately protect consumers’ health,” he said.
He said after completing all the legal procedures, the food and cosmetic products seized will be destroyed.
“TBS took initial measures to remove from the market all goods that have not met the required standards and other processes are taking place within 14 days according to the notice issued,” he said.
The operations uncovered that some business people were selling expired food and cosmetic items, unregistered by TBS and banned cosmetics from being used in the country.
He said some of the challenges emerged during the operations are that most of business people dealt with smuggled goods, failure to inspect expiry dates and keeping records of the procurements.
He said TBS will continue to carry out impromptu inspections in various parts of the country to uproot poor quality goods from the market in collaboration with Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), police force, regional, district authorities.Ends