The foul-smelling overnight meat, the stench-ridden RT-Mart
[4] Compiled from: Red Star News
Case review
A few days ago, the well-known supermarket chain RT-Mart’s Jinan “Shengbo” store (Jinan Jingshi Road RT-Mart Commercial Co., Ltd.) was exposed for selling rancid overnight meat. Veteran employees even privately told new employees, “If a customer asks whether the meat is fresh, do not answer directly; let them look for themselves.” Even more infuriating was that meat of varying degrees of spoilage could have different “uses”: meat that had just begun to smell was washed and sold as fresh meat, while strongly odorous meat was used to make sausages. After the incident came to light, the Jinan Municipal Market Supervision Administration immediately established an investigation team and found that the company did indeed engage in egregious practices such as selling spoiled and deteriorated pork and pork products.
On August 28, the Jinan Municipal Market Supervision Administration issued an administrative penalty decision to Jinan Jingshi Road RT-Mart Commercial Co., Ltd. and related personnel in accordance with the law. The company was given a warning, its illegal gains of 17,944.18 yuan were confiscated, the relevant meat products were confiscated, a fine of 1,371,486.8 yuan was imposed, with the total amount of fines and confiscations reaching 1,389,430.98 yuan, and it was ordered to correct its illegal acts. Five relevant business management personnel were fined a total of 926,552.95 yuan.
At the same time, the food safety risk rating of Jingshi Road RT-Mart Commercial Co., Ltd. was adjusted from Grade A to Grade D (the highest level), and the company was included as a key regulatory target. Its relevant honorary titles were revoked, and the company was added to the list of enterprises with serious illegal and dishonest conduct, with joint disciplinary measures against dishonesty imposed on it in accordance with laws and regulations.
Relevant Laws
Article 34 of the Food Safety Law
The following foods, food additives, and food-related products are prohibited from production and operation:
(1) Food produced using non-food raw materials, or food containing chemical substances other than food additives and other substances that may harm human health, or food produced using recycled food as raw materials;
(2) Foods, food additives, and food-related products in which the levels of pathogenic microorganisms, pesticide residues, veterinary drug residues, biotoxins, heavy metals, or other contaminants harmful to human health exceed the limits set by food safety standards;
(3) Foods and food additives produced using food ingredients or food additives that have exceeded their shelf life;
(4) Foods in which food additives are used beyond the permitted scope or in excess of the maximum usage levels;
(5) Staple and supplementary foods specifically formulated for infants, young children, and other specific populations that do not meet the nutritional requirements of food safety standards;
(6) Foods and food additives that are spoiled, rancid, moldy, insect-infested, unclean, mixed with foreign matter, adulterated, or abnormal in sensory properties;
(7) Meat and meat products from poultry, livestock, game animals, or aquatic animals that have died from disease, poisoning, or unknown causes.
(8) Meat that has not been quarantined as required or has failed quarantine, or meat products that have not been inspected or have failed inspection;
(9) Food and food additives contaminated by packaging materials, containers, or transport vehicles;
(10) Food and food additives with false production dates, shelf life, or that have exceeded their shelf life;
(11) Pre-packaged food and food additives without labels;
(12) Food explicitly prohibited from production and operation by the state for special needs such as disease prevention;
(13) Other food, food additives, and food-related products that do not comply with laws, regulations, or food safety standards.
Article 8 of the Anti-Unfair Competition Law
Business operators must not make false or misleading commercial promotions regarding the performance, function, quality, sales status, user reviews, or awards received of their goods, thereby deceiving or misleading consumers.
Business operators shall not assist other business operators in conducting false or misleading commercial publicity by organizing fictitious transactions or other means.
[1] The author's perspective
Food is the first necessity of the people, safety is the priority for food, quality is the foundation of safety, and integrity is the root of quality. People choose well-known chain supermarkets like RT-Mart to buy food because they trust the brand, but RT-Mart has let consumers down. This act of selling spoiled and rotten meat not only disregards consumers' health and safety but also abandons the company's own honesty and credibility. Such a company loses not only profits but also public trust, and even its chance of survival.
The exposure of this incident came from an undercover investigation by a journalist who secretly filmed evidence at RT-Mart, rather than being discovered by the market supervision authority in the first place. Does RT-Mart not need to submit food samples for inspection? Or did the sample inspections fail to detect any problems? Otherwise, why has this rampant sale of spoiled meat gone unpunished for so long?
In recent years, various food safety issues have been far from rare. The author sincerely hopes that relevant authorities can conduct special food inspections, strictly investigate illegal activities in accordance with the law, and strive to create a safe and reassuring food environment for the public.
