Russia: Supermarket chain fined $581 for endangering consumer health

Administrative sanctions have been brought against the Magnit supermarket chain, which is owned by Tander, for numerous violations threatening the health of consumers. Charges brought against the company for violations of sanitary regulations were found to be justified by the Arbitration Court of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, Fonatank.ru reported on June 14.

Supermarkets in the Magnit chain were inspected in Autumn 2013 according to a schedule agreed upon by prosecutors. Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being inspectors in St. Petersburg found evidence that the chain was selling substandard product, including rotten cucumbers and fish. An examination of cranberries sold by Magnit revealed the presence of cesium-137 in levels of up to 320 becquerels per kilogram.

The company denies the charges. The director of the St. Petersburg branch of Tander Vladimir Dubinin argued that most of the health department violations had not been documented. He rejected the findings of the supervisory authority on the sale of substandard product. "The official documents do not conform to current legislation," Dubinin told Fontanka.ru.

Source: sptimes.ru