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Sukulwenkosi Dube  Plumtree Correspondent
TWO major supermarkets situated in Plumtree’s Central Bank District (CBD) have been fined for selling expired dairy products.
Plumtree Bakery Supermarket and Lucky 7 Supermarket were each charged for selling expired products, a crime that was detected by police officers who were on patrol on Monday.

Representatives from both supermarkets appeared before magistrates Gideon Ruvetsa and Livard Philemon.

Plumtree Bakery Supermarket was fined $100 while Lucky 7 was fined $250.

Prosecuting, Stanley Chinyanganya said police detectives confronted a manager at one of the supermarkets over the matter, but no plausible explanation was given leading to the goods being confiscated.

“Detectives who were on surveillance in Plumtree town went into Lucky 7 Supermarket to buy refreshments. They discovered that there were seven 250ml bottles of nutriplus juice and nine 500ml packets of lacto stocked in the shop which had expired in July.

“They confronted the management over the issue and the expired goods were confiscated. They then proceeded to Plumtree Bakery Supermarket and they discovered 20 by 500 ml packets of Dendairy Freshmilk which had expired in July,” said Chinyanganya.

Representing Lucky 7 Supermarket, Regina Ncube, 40, who is the supermarket’s manager, begged for mercy saying her staff had not been thorough in their work.

“I am begging for the court’s leniency Your Worship. The supermarket staff forgot to check on the goods in order to ensure that expired goods were removed from the shelves because that is what we normally do,” said Ncube.

However, magistrate Ruvetsa said selling expired food was a serious crime as it puts the lives of the public at risk.

“Furthermore by stocking expired goods you will be putting those who buy your stock at risk. When it comes to handling food you have to be careful,” said the magistrate.

Marshal Nyangari, 40, represented Plumtree Bakery Supermarket. He pleaded guilty to the offence.