MBS destroys expired goods

Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) on Friday destroyed 1.5 tonnes of substandard goods confiscated in Blantyre.

MBS director of quality assurance services Steve Kamuloni said the goods—which included cosmetics, food stuffs, methylated spirits, toilet papers —were worth K4 million (about $13 333).

”Some of the products pose a health risk while others are substandard and not worth the money consumers pay for them,” said Kamuloni.

According to him, MBS is planning to open a toll-free line where consumers can blow the whistle on shops selling substandard or expired goods. Currently, they conduct market surveys to purge the goods.

”Consumers live in the townships where these health risk and insecure goods are sold. We are thinking of putting rewards for tip-offs. It is a consumer right to buy proper goods,” said Kamuloni.