Businesses caught misleading consumers with food labelling will be fined from $5,000 to $10,000 - Shandil

Any business caught misleading consumers with food labelling will be fined from $5,000 to $10,000 or face 5 to 10 years imprisonment.

This has been highlighted by the Chief Executive Officer of the Consumer Council of Fiji, Seema Shandil. 

She also says it is an offence to have food labelling written in a foreign language. The labels need to have nutritional details in the English language in a manner that is visible and likely to be read and understood by the ordinary consumer the penalty. Any business that does not follow this faces a fine of up to $50,000 or 10 years imprisonment or both.

Promoting or causing the advertisement or promotion of any food which is prohibited is $2,000 or 12 months.

The Consumer Council of Fiji says there has been a lot of misrepresentation and non-disclosure of important information on labels of food items and this can pose health and safety risks for consumers.