FDA flags retailers for 82 products
Major retail chains Landers Superstore and S&R Membership Shopping have been placed under scrutiny by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after inspections conducted earlier this month found unregistered and improperly labeled food and health products at their Bonifacio Global City branches.
If both retailers are proven noncompliant after additional checks, the FDA warned that they will face decisive action for violations of food and health product laws.
“Compliance is mandatory, and the FDA will act decisively against any establishment that endangers consumer health,” FDA Director General Paolo Teston said in a post on the agency’s Facebook account on Monday. “Retailers, large or small, must exercise due diligence or face immediate consequences.”
A copy of the letters sent by the FDA to the retailers showed that during an inspection, Landers was found to be offering 27 consumer health products with “issues related to registration status, labeling, and/or supporting documentation.” A separate check on S&R also led to the flagging for the same reasons of at least 55 products.
While it did not specify which products have been flagged, the FDA said the findings are preliminary and would still be evaluated and verified. Samples of these products were collected for further assessment.
The FDA also warned that noncompliance may result in regulatory and legal action, including seizure of products, suspension or revocation of licenses, closure of operations and the filing of administrative or legal cases.
It said the inspections, conducted on Feb. 6, were part of its nationwide effort to ensure all food and health products meet strict standards for registration, labeling, traceability and safety.
Not just physical stores
Teston said the FDA would go after noncompliant products sold across not just retailers’ physical stores but also on their digital platforms.
“This is part of our proactive approach to ensure the integrity of the food and health product supply chain,” he added.
The FDA urged manufacturers, importers and distributors to strengthen internal compliance controls and immediately address any deficiencies in their product lines to “ensure that only compliant products reach store shelves and online platforms.”
Republic Act No. 9711 tasks the FDA with monitoring the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, promotion advertising or sponsorship of food and health products.
