Store owner selling expired food items nabbed in Taytay, Rizal

The National Bureau of Investigation has arrested a store owner in Taytay, Rizal for allegedly selling expired food products like biscuits and chips at low prices in provinces in Calabarzon.

According to John Consulta’s report in “24 Oras” on Tuesday, authorities also seized up to P3 million worth of expired food items from the store owner’s warehouse.

The NBI had to use two trucks to haul the food items, which were covered by a search warrant.

A company complained to the NBI that their food products – which were pulled out of grocery stores for being expired or being close to the expiration date – were allegedly being smuggled.

“Ang mga produktong ito ay yung tinatawag na ‘return to vendor.’ Pinullout na ito sa malalaking grocery store dahil expired na o malapit nang mag-expire. Buburahin nila yung expiration date at papalitan nila ng bagong expiration date gamit ang idinikit nilang sticker o nagis-stamp sila ng bagong expiration date,” said NBI Laguna District Office executive officer Renato Marcuap. 

(These products are deemed ‘return to vendor’ items. These were pulled out of large grocery stores because these are already expired or are about to expire. They erase the expiration date and replace it with a new expiration date using a sticker or they stamp a new expiration date.) 

The NBI added that the expired products are being sold in small stores in Cavite, Rizal, Laguna for a very cheap price, posing risks to children who are fond of eating such snacks.

GMA Integrated News is reaching out to the arrested store owner for comment. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/JMA/KG, GMA Integrated News