If you fail to pay the fine, we will initiate distrainment. This is how the Agriculture Ministry, led by Gabriela Matečná (the Slovak National Party), has threatened retail chains that fail to pay for their flaws under the new rules, the Sme daily reported.
The fines are imposed by the State Veterinary and Food Administration (ŠVPS). The retailers can be sanctioned, for example, if they sell products after the expiration date. The fine can be as high as €1 million if the comptrollers repeatedly reveal the same errors during a year.
ŠVPS has already imposed 25 such fines since 2014, with the most fined retailers being Billa and Tesco, Sme wrote.
