Ban on foreign-labelled items stay

Business

FOOD products with non-English labelling are still banned from shops in the country, according to the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC).
Commissioner and chief executive Paulus Ain (pictured) said the ban imposed on these food products in March last year would expire in September this year.
He was responding to reports that some retail outlets were selling food products with non-English labelling.
“The Independent Consumer and Competition Commission has been receiving reports through the media and stakeholders about certain products being sold in the shops with non-English packaging and labels,” Ain said.
“The current ban on non-English labelling products is only applicable to food and not any product or merchandise defined as food under the Food and Sanitation Act 1991.”
The interim ban requires that all food products must have the following details in English: ingredients, name and address of packer, distributor or importer, country of origin and net weight.
The ICCC has also warned that non-compliance to the requirements of the interim ban would also be in breach of the ICCC Act 2002.
Offenders face penalties of K100,000 or jail terms of up to two years.
Under the Act, the commission has the right to recall the products which are non-compliant.
The ICCC also partners with the PNG Customs Services to identify and seize banned products at the port of entry when detected.
It also works with provincial health authorities, city managers and environment heath officers to conduct inspections of retail outlets to enforce the interim ban.