For selling expired food and other violations of food standards, a supermarket located in Adelaide’s southern suburbs has received a fine of $200,000.
The Port Noarlunga South Foodland has pleaded guilty to 20 counts under the Food Act, which included improperly displaying food for sale that had exceeded its use-by date.
Expired items available for sale included chicken, ham, bacon, sausages, minced meat, and yoghurt.
Additional violations noted included a lack of required cleanliness standards and a failure to properly separate food meant for disposal from food intended for sale.
The company behind the supermarket, Supermarket Investments, admitted guilt to 37 infractions.
The local council became aware of this situation after a tip-off from a former employee.
Consequently, Supermarket Investments was fined $130,000, while Seaford 7 Days incurred a penalty of $70,000 plus associated council costs.
During a recent inspection, the court was informed that the supermarket had made efforts to comply with relevant standards.
Vince Violi, the general manager of the Port Noarlunga South Foodland, released a statement indicating that significant measures have been taken to prevent a recurrence of these issues.
“All staff have undergone re-training and are now fully aware of their responsibilities, especially regarding best practices in food handling, packaging, and labeling,” said Mr. Violi.
“We want to reassure all our customers and suppliers that we are dedicated to providing top-quality products and services.
“We deeply apologize to all our customers.”
