SERNAC informed the Lider Supermarket location in the commune of La Florida, in the Metropolitan Region, to inform them of the reasons why they kept bread packaged with mushrooms on sale, putting the health of consumers at risk.
Through a letter, whose response time is 5 days, the supervisory body also demanded that the company explain the protocols it uses in managing the stock of perishable products, specifically their expiration time, among other information.
The Service made the decision to officiate after learning of a complaint made on social networks by a consumer, who shows in a video a series of products in an obvious state of decomposition. These are whole wheat bread and pita bread, both from the Castaño brand.
In the opinion of SERNAC, these types of situations are very serious, as they could affect the health of consumers, so once it obtains the background of the case, and if warranted, it will take the actions it deems appropriate to proceed accordingly. defense of consumer rights.
It is important to emphasize that the Consumer Law establishes that people have the right to enjoy food without fear, and companies are obliged to take all measures to guarantee that food is safe and does not risk the health of those who purchase it.
Only between January and February of this year, SERNAC has received 145 complaints nationwide against Lider, Lider Express and Hiper Lider, due to health problems, lack of safety in consumption, sale of products in poor condition or with foreign objects.
If they fail to comply with this obligation, suppliers risk fines of up to 300 UTM, that is, more than 19 million pesos for each violation.
To do?
When a consumer detects any irregularity in the food, for example, that a foreign body is inside a product or that it is expired, they must go to the Health Authority to investigate and order the corresponding health summaries, whether it is for products packaged or sold directly to the public.
In both cases, the health authority must verify the sanitary conditions of the processes. At the same time, this will allow you to obtain the evidence to request your right to compensation before the courts of law.
Consumers who suffer any damage due to food in poor condition or any irregularity have the right to demand the corresponding compensation.
The courts have reaffirmed in several cases that companies must respond when consumers suffer harm to their health as a result of their non-compliance.
Response to the office
After the consumer’s public complaint, the Lider supermarket spoke out and regretted what happened. “We understand the discomfort of the affected client,” they said in a statement.
The supermarket indicated that “our priority is the health and safety of our customers, which is why we have strict food safety protocols, which we can ensure were complied with at all times. As soon as we became aware of the incident, we immediately reviewed the status of the other products in question and confirmed that there were no more units affected.”
“Additionally, we contacted the Castaño company, supplier of the affected product, who are carrying out an internal review process to detect the reason for the incident,” they added.
They indicated their commitment to prevent this type of incidents from being repeated, which is why they are working to strengthen detection mechanisms, putting the health and safety of customers at the center.
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