A company operating a restaurant in Colombo 03 has been fined Rs. 100,000 by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court for violating Direction No. 52 issued by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), which prohibits keeping expired products together with or adjacent to other goods offered for sale.
The fine was imposed on Sun Light Garden Sea Food Restaurant (Pvt) Ltd, located at No. 52, Abdul Gafoor Mawatha, Colombo 03.
During an inspection conducted by CAA officials on or around September 10, 2026, a 250ml bottle of Cane Pepper Oil bearing an expiry date of December 8, 2024, was found on the restaurant premises.
The CAA filed a complaint over the incident before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on November 11, 2026.
Under Direction No. 52, published in Extraordinary Gazette No. 1875/38 dated August 15, 2014, expired products or goods identified as unfit for human consumption are prohibited from being kept, stored or collected together with or adjacent to other products offered or displayed for sale.
Following legal action initiated by the CAA over the violation, the court imposed a fine of Rs. 100,000 on the company operating the restaurant.
The CAA has urged restaurant operators and other food preparation establishments to identify expired food products, keep them separate from usable ingredients and ensure they are not used in food preparation.
The Authority said it continues to conduct inspections and enforcement operations to protect consumers and ensure compliance with applicable regulations.
Consumers can report expired products and other suspected violations of consumer protection laws by calling the CAA hotline on 1977 during office hours. (Newswire)