Woolworths says it has “reason to believe” the canned pilchards in Woolworths-branded cartons seized by police on Monday may be part of an imported shipment that was rejected by the company for failure to meet its stringent quality control standards.
Woolworths was responding to reports of a police raid where authorities seized a large quantity of counterfeit pilchards and printing equipment used to alter expiration dates in Meyerton. Seven illegal immigrants aged between 18 and 29 were arrested.
In the event of a product being rejected by Woolworths, it became the immediate responsibility of the supplier to collect and dispose of the stock from Woolworths’ warehouse responsibly, the company said.
“We have launched our own investigation to determine why this process was not adhered to in this instance. At Woolworths, we take food safety and the wellbeing of our customers extremely seriously. It is our number one priority.”
The company said Woolworths-labelled products must only be bought at Woolworths stores, or through its online channel.
TimesLIVE
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