The Secretariat commenced investigations against Farmers World on allegations of supplying an uncertified product following shop inspections which the Commission conducted at Farmers World- Kasungu Branch on 19th September, 2019.
During the inspections, the Commission found that Farmers World was stocking “PERFECT Scones and Mandasi Flour” without labels to show that the product was certified by Malawi Bureau of Standards.
Investigations established that the product was in actual fact certified by the MBS, under a Pre-certification regime. The manufacturer of the product (HMS Foods and Grains Ltd) furnished the Commission with the pre-certification certificate. The manufacturer, however, had not put the pre-certification mark on the packaging of the product; hence the product was insufficiently labeled.
Following deliberations, the Commission made the following orders:
- The Respondent should pay a fine of Five Hundred Thousand Kwacha (MK500,000) for infringement of the CPA.
- The Respondent should cease and desist from providing products with insufficient labelling.