The Government Analyst- Food & Drug Department (GA-FDD) is issuing a warning to importers, wholesalers, and retailers to discontinue the importation and the sale of food, drugs and cosmetics which are labeled in a foreign language.
According to the GA-FDD Director, Marlon Cole, the Food and Drug Regulations of 1977 section 18 (15) stipulates that declarations made on labels of any food, drugs, cosmetics or medical devices must be in English Language; making it an offence to import, sell or distribute those foreign labeled articles on our local market.
“The Department is therefore urging importers to ensure that only items labeled in English or with English translation are imported and to immediately cease the importation and sale of same. This decision has become increasingly necessary because of the illegal practice of some importers tampering with labels, consumer complaints and observations made by the Department” said Cole in a release.
He said further that members of the National Food Safety and Control Committee were briefed at a statutory meeting held on December 12, 2017, of this malpractice; “hence enforcement actions will be taken countrywide to remove all foreign labeled food items from our local market.”
According to Cole, consumers are strongly advised to purchase items that are properly labeled in English Language.
The Department said it will be working in collaboration with the Guyana Revenue Authority- Customs Department to ensure only items that are labeled in English Language are released for sale on our local market.
“Foreign labeled items will be refused entry” said the GA-FDD Director.
