THE CABINET approved stricter penalties for food retailers on March 3. If the proposal is passed by parliament sanctions against retailers for violating Slovakia’s Food Code will increase in May and several new requirements for sales of food items will be added as well, the SITA newswire reported.
The proposed maximum penalty for repeated violations of the Food Act will increase to €2 million, in comparison to the current maximum of €1.66 million.
According to Prime Minister Robert Fico, the draft amendment to the Food Code – which will be discussed in fast-track legislative procedure – arose from a “serious situation” which was reported by the State Veterinary and Food Inspection Authority.
The inspectors carried out extraordinary checks in February in retail chains and the authority said they found flaws in food packaging, damaged packaging, insufficient labels and food being sold after its expiration date. Retail food chains have denied these charges.
Pavol Konštiak, president of the Slovak Association of Commerce and Tourism told SITA that merchants consider this draft bill as another whip against them tailored by the government.
