Acodeco to the Rescue: More than 15,000 Expired Products Seized in Panama
In total, 15,206 products with expired dates were seized.
The Consumer Protection and Competition Authority (Acodeco) in the province of Los Santos has seized more than 15,000 expired products during operations carried out between January and October of this year. This finding reflects a worrying number of irregularities in businesses throughout the region, affecting consumer rights. In total, 15,206 expired products were seized, including food, medicine, and other basic consumer goods. Other irregularities found included:
* 532 products with no visible price.
* 340 items without an expiration date.
* 180 damaged or defective products.
* 66 products with illegible or unclear expiration dates.
* 22 products with duplicate prices.
* 10 items with duplicate expiration dates.
In addition to expired products, Acodeco detected the misuse of 25-pound gas cylinders in 55 establishments, which jeopardizes consumer safety. Some businesses were also found to be violating the established price ceiling for this product. The agency noted that, despite efforts to ensure compliance, some businesses in the province continue to violate consumer protection laws. In total, Acodeco conducted 97 special investigations into the marketing of products in accordance with Law 45 of 2007, which regulates the supply and advertising of goods and services in Panama.
