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Unlabelled milk powder packs: Close to 2 tonnes of milk powder sealed

04 Sep 2021

  • CAA to take legal action against three vendors in Pettah
  • Legal action warnings issued to errant vendors
By Maheesha Mudugamuwa The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has begun the process of filing legal action against several vendors who stockpiled unlabelled milk powder packets amidst a milk powder shortage in the market. The milk powder shortage has compounded consumer woes about skyrocketing prices and the availability of essential food items such as rice, sugar, and coconuts, with the Government struggling to bring the cost of living down while battling a foreign exchange crisis. The CAA warned of stern legal action against those who sell milk powder that was not suitable for human consumption. A CAA official told The Sunday Morning that the CAA had conducted raids and found several stocks of unlabelled milk powder packets in three stores in Pettah last week. Based on the information provided by the Colombo Intelligence Unit, the Pettah Police, and the CAA Raid Division, the CAA raided the three locations on 31 August, where it was found that packaged milk powder that is unfit for human consumption was being sold. The team discovered two bags of 25 kg of packaged milk powder from a warehouse located at Sri Kathiresan Street in Colombo 13, along with 60 bags of 25 kg of packaged milk powder and 14 bags of 25 kg of packaged milk powder from two warehouses located at Dam Street in Colombo 12. Accordingly, the CAA sealed a total of 1,900 kg of milk powder. The price of 1 kg of milk powder is said to be Rs. 1,160. The CAA official stressed that the raids would continue and legal action would be taken against all culprits. However, when The Sunday Morning inquired whether the Essential Services Commission (ESC) was also conducting raids on milk powder storage facilities and warehouses, Essential Services Commissioner General Maj. Gen. D.S.P. Niunhella said the focus of the commission at present is rice and sugar.


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