Expired Products Making Way Back to Supermarket Shelves

Kenya is one country that can leave you wondering whether the events taking place are real or just in a movie. The concept of humanity is sometimes thrown away as selfishness takes control of how things are done, most of which tend to be controlled by those in positions of power in the society.

One thing that constantly bothers me is the fact that some individuals have turned out to be so greedy to an extent of ignoring the welfare of their fellow human beings. All they think of is how they will make more money for themselves and acquire more wealth.

Our survival depends on the kind of food that we consume. It is the main source of our well-being and for that reason, we need to eat that which is in good condition so as to avoid getting sick or becoming unwell. Shockingly, it turns out that whatever we buy from our supermarket shelves may not be entirely fit for consumption.

As is mandatory, we always have to check the expiry date of any product before using it. Expired products are not fit for usage and it is common sense that they need to be thrown away. Sadly, that is not the case in Kenya. Some unscrupulous business people do the unimaginable. I’m talking about food products!

On 31st October 2018, police arrested two people in Dandora, Nairobi, who were repackaging several bales expired wheat flour. The flour included EXE, Dola and the Golden brands.

According to detectives, the wheat flour had an expiry date of July 2018 but the suspects were repackaging them new dates. Consumers would have innocently purchased the same expired flour from retail outlets without knowing that the product was not fit for consumption.

Last month the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) summoned Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) officials, clearing agents, transporters and the owner of a godown after the recovery of more than five tons of expired baby diapers.

Detectives pounced on employees of the Mlolongo godown and found them repackaging and rebranding the diapers to conceal the real expiry dates, which ranged between January and May 2017.

In September, suspended Kebs Managing Director Charles Ongwae was among several officials arrested over a consignment of substandard rice that was released into the market.

Officials from the KEBS and Public health also managed to seize expired cooking oil, rice, sugar, and flour worth more than 20 million shillings in Eldoret in early September.

In June, government officials netted more than 1,500 bags of sugar that had already expired and marked ‘not fit for human consumption’ in Eastleigh, Nairobi. The sugar was being repackaged in known brands such as Kabras and Mumias to be sold to Kenyans.

With such high rates of repackaging of expired food and other products, how safe are we as consumers?