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2. INSPECTIONS

2.9 Suggestions for inspections

In the framework of its inspection activities the CAFIA also considered the suggestions of consumers, state institutions and specialized organizations. Their reports particularly concerned unsatisfactory food quality and safety and incompliance with hygienic regulations during the sale or production.

In 2003 the CAFIA received the total of 1449 suggestions. The greatest number of notices came directly from consumers, which was the consequence of the growing interest of the general public in the issues of food, more frequent presentation of the CAFIA in the media and on the Internet, and of the more comprehensive information the consumers had at their disposal. The CAFIA also received a lot of suggestions from the public health protection authorities, Czech Trade Inspection Authority, State Veterinary Administration, or the Police of the Czech Republic; in some cases the CAFIA used the information from the media.

The CAFIA particularly received suggestions for inspection regarding the following: inadequate quality of foodstuffs; sale of products with the expired ‘use-by-date’ and ‘best before date’; changing/sticking over expiry dates on packages; hygiene deficiencies in stores; unsatisfactory storage conditions; deceptively labelled foodstuffs.

As regards the commodities the suggestions mainly concerned fresh fruit and fresh vegetables, meat products, chocolate and sweets, delicatessen products, dairy, bakery and confectionery products. The suggestions regarding the quality of alcoholic drinks (wine, spirits) were relatively frequent; there were fewer suggestions regarding the quality of soft drinks.

Similarly as in 2002 the majority of suggestions concerned the sale of food in smaller stores; there were fewer suggestions regarding the sale of food in supermarkets.