89 cases of underweight bread detected in islandwide inspections
The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) says 89 cases involving underweight bread have been detected during two special inspection programmes conducted across Sri Lanka in September.
According to the CAA, a total of 225 shops and bakeries were inspected under the two programmes targeting compliance with prescribed bread weights and requirements to display weight and price information.
During the latest operation on September 29, officials inspected 107 shops and bakeries and detected 35 cases involving underweight bread.
The CAA said bread weight was not properly displayed at 85 establishments, while 55 had failed to properly display bread prices. A total of 71 bakeries were also inspected.
Officials have been instructed to trace underweight bread found at retail outlets back to the bakeries that produced or supplied it, rather than limiting action to retailers.
The CAA said bakeries found producing bread below the prescribed weight would be instructed to immediately correct their production process, while legal action would be initiated before the relevant Magistrate’s Courts where sufficient evidence is available.
During an earlier inspection programme conducted from September 1 to 3, officials inspected 118 shops and bakeries and detected 54 cases involving underweight bread.
The CAA said islandwide inspections would continue and urged consumers to report relevant complaints through its 1977 hotline during office hours.