Hyderabad: Packaged foods anyways are to be avoided, say health pundits, but insufficient information about its contents on the pack, make it even more risky. The latest figures from the legal metrology department show that over 63 shops in the city were found to be violating the norms by selling products in packs that did not have complete detailed information about the product.
Fine totaling to Rs 3.59 lakhs was collected from the defaulting shops by the department.
As per Telangana State legal metrology department rules, shopkeepers can only keep products that clearly specify and show the details of the product.
“They must display the contents, net weight, the date of manufacture and expiry, etc. However many local products do not have their details. Some of them even had smudged MRPs”, says Assistant Controller Bhaskar Reddy who oversees the Hyderabad operations.
The products commonly confiscated are perishables, say field inspectors. “Packets of chips, masala items, fried fritters and mouth fresheners that are locally made in small cottage industries often do not contain information as to where the product was made and who the consumer must write to or contact in case there is a problem with the product,” he said.
“The problem is that these products are cheaper because they do not follow any protocols during the production. But small kirana stores are eager to sell them and get large margins. However the common man can get affected if the product is adulterated which is where these checks come into picture”, says Mr Mr Vijay Sarathy, Inspector with legal metrology.
The department cracks down on retailers regularly to discourage them from hosting such products.
The statewide figures are quite dismal as well with a total of 446 cases having been booked for issues pertaining to this.
Officials say that it is better for consumers buy from reputed stores to safeguard themselves from bad products.
