The leadership of the National Authority for the Protection of Consumer Rights (ANPC) warns Romanians about the food they buy during this period, especially in the case of “promotional offers”.

ANPC CEO Paul Angel has sent out some advice on Facebook for those shopping for the Christmas and New Year table this time.

“Pay special attention to the purchase of food products, especially “promotional offers”. December is a month when sales increase significantly. Here are some tips to follow in the rush after shopping for the Christmas and New Year table,” says the ANPC chief.

What we need to pay attention to

“First of all, consumers should pay special attention to the purchase of food products, given that some business entities will “take advantage” of this period to sell their available products, regardless of their quality.

They should also carefully check the quality of food products from an organoleptic point of view (appearance, smell, color) and refuse those whose quality and, above all, safety they have doubts about.

I recommend that you pay attention to food products that have traces of mold, the minimum expiration date has passed or the packaging is damaged, and for which there is a suspicion of damage to the contents.

Marketing of meat and meat products

• The purchase of meat and meat products will be carried out only in specially designated, equipped and authorized places (butcher shops, food stores, specially designated places in the markets) and must have a stamp of sanitary and veterinary control. Under these conditions, there is a guarantee of a safe product that will not affect your health; avoid buying meat from third parties and places, in “car trunks”, even if the offered price is relatively lower, the relevant trader is not able to provide optimal conditions for transportation, storage and sale and cannot issue you a receipt to justify the commercial transaction, and you risk purchase an inappropriate or even dangerous product that may affect your health;
• Check by direct evaluation the organoleptic properties of products, organoleptic signs of spoilage, changes in appearance (scratched appearance, with the presence of mucus, etc.), color (changed color), consistency, presence of foreign bodies, etc. The meat should have a dry film on the surface from pink to red in color, be firm and elastic both on the surface and in the cut, and the smell should be characteristic of a fresh product;
• Pay attention to the price! Check the correspondence of the prices on the shelf and on the receipts;
• Purchased chilled meat will be delivered to your home in hygienic conditions as quickly as possible and will be stored in a refrigerator;
• Prepackaged products that have damaged packaging and are suspected of having damaged contents should not be purchased.

Marketing of frozen products (meat, fish, vegetables, fruits)

• Check the expiration date. Although frozen foods have a longer shelf life due to the natural freezing process, be careful not to set the expiration date too close to the day of purchase, especially if you want to store them in your home for a longer period of time.
• When buying frozen food, as with any food, it is very important that the packaging is not damaged. Make sure the plastic wrap is not torn and the carton is not wet, which could indicate a possible store storage/storage problem. In addition, the temperature in the freezer should be low.
• Frozen products (meat, fish, vegetables, fruits) will be transported in hygienic conditions, as quickly as possible to the home, where they will be stored in the freezer until the date of preparation, in order to preserve nutrients and quality (taste, texture).
• Read the ingredients label. Although frozen foods rarely contain ingredients other than the frozen product, the freezing process is enough to keep the products in their best condition without the need for additives. Thus, frozen foods are a very good choice for the holiday season when shopping trips are rare.

Marketing of milk and dairy products

• Consumers should pay attention to how the packaging is presented. If the package is blown, it means that the fermentation process has begun and the product is no longer suitable for consumption;
• Particular attention should be paid to storage conditions both in a retail store and at home. Check the storage of milk and dairy products at the temperature specified by the manufacturer, and refuse to purchase products that were offered for sale at a temperature other than that specified by the manufacturer;
• Ask the seller, if the store does not have a self-service system, to read the product label to analyze the composition and, especially, the minimum expiration date. Do not buy goods about the quality and labeling method of which you have doubts;
• Consumers should ask retailers for additional information about the nature of the products they wish to purchase, as there are cases where retailers sell dairy substitutes alongside dairy products. Given that the way of presentation (form shape, dimensions, appearance, color) and even labeling are similar, differentiation is difficult, so it is absolutely necessary to ask for additional information from the seller;
• I warn consumers to discard products that have changed or exceeded the minimum expiration date/expiry date. Also, do not buy milk and dairy products in unauthorized places. The relevant seller is unable to ensure optimal conditions of transportation, storage and sales and cannot issue a receipt to justify the commercial transaction, and the consumer risks purchasing an inappropriate or even dangerous product that may affect his health.

Marketing of confectionery products (cakes, pastries, etc.)

• Firstly, the purchase of goods will be carried out only in authorized places, where the trading premises must be constantly clean and well-maintained;
• Personnel who sell confectionery products must have sanitary protection equipment, namely a protective gown and a cap, and work with the products should be done with hands in clean or disposable gloves;
• Baked goods without packaging will be sold in a clean container, protected from dust and flies, served only with special dishes. Allowing consumers to manually select products is prohibited;
• For prepackaged confectionery products, the minimum expiration date is set by the manufacturer and indicated on the label/packaging.

Marketing of chocolate, chocolate products, products based on cocoa and vegetable fats (tablets, figurines, etc.)

• The labels of these products must contain the following information: product name, name and address of the manufacturer or packer or distributor. In the case of imported products, it is necessary to enter the name and address of the importer or distributor registered in Romania, the minimum expiration date, net quantity and storage conditions;
• All imported goods must be accompanied by labels with elements of identification and information in the Romanian language;
• For chocolate and chocolate products: the cocoa solids content, expressed as a percentage, must be indicated as follows: “cocoa…% minimum”. In the case of chocolate with a filling, the product of the filling is indicated. Prepackaged chocolate products weighing less than 50 grams are not included in the net quantity. This exception does not apply to products with a net weight of less than 50 grams each, if they are presented in a package containing two or more such products, if the total net content, including packaging, is equal to or exceeds 50 grams. In the case of molded and hollow chocolate products, this indication can be replaced by the minimum net content. mention of the addition of coffee or alcoholic beverages, if their amount exceeds 1% of the weight of the product;
• Fresh chocolate should have a glossy, non-layered and blemish-free surface, greasy, brittle when broken without feeling rough when chewed, a specific color and taste, and dragees should have a smooth, glossy, dry and non-sticky surface;
• The purchase of goods will be carried out only in authorized places. You should avoid buying from street vendors, even if the price offered is comparatively lower;
• Before purchasing, the consumer must check the condition of the packaging (integrity, tightness) and the inclusion of the products up to the minimum expiration date, if necessary, up to the expiration date set by the manufacturer.

Marketing of wines and alcoholic beverages

• The content of the label must contain: the name under which the product is sold, the name and address of the manufacturer or importer, or bottler, net volume, alcohol strength, batch information, minimum expiration date. for alcoholic beverages with a strength of less than 10% vol.;
• For wines, the label must also contain the following information: quality category, geographical indication or designation of controlled origin for higher quality wines, type of wine by sugar content;
• The consumer must check the appearance of the liquid, that is, the color must correspond to the assortment, transparent, without deposits and impurities in the suspension;
• When turning the bottle upside down, the contents should not be cloudy, have no impurities or leaks;
• Labeling of alcoholic beverages is carried out in accordance with the current regulations of the Ministry of Finance.”

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