Czech Republic: SZPI to impose another fine on Ahold

The State Agriculture and Food Inspection Office (SZPI) may fine Ahold hundreds of thousands of crowns for shortcomings at two Hypernova outlets.

The shortcomings included manipulation with expiry date on some meat products at the Hypernova outlet in Cestlice outside Prague and incorrect specifications of the expiry date on food at Hypernova in Nove Butovice on the outskirts of Prague, SZPI spokeswoman Daniela Kolejkova said.

Moreover, Ahold ignored repeated requests by SZPI for explanation of the practices. Hypernova in Nove Butovice had been fined for the same failings in the past but did not adopt the required measures. Kolejkova said the fine will reflect not only the discovered irregularities but also Ahold's reluctant attitude to deal with the problem.

Ahold said the supplier was to blame and that Ahold had resolved the problem already. "The manipulation with expiry date was not done by our employees," said Ahold Czech Republic spokeswoman Katerina Cerna, adding that the relevant supplier had violated agreed rules and was penalised by Ahold.

Kolejkova noted this was not for the first time this year that shortcomings were found at Hypernova. In early 2005, SZPI discovered manipulation with expiry dates at the Hypernova outlet on Budejovicka street in Prague, and last week ordered Hypernova in Jindrichuv Hradec, South Bohemia, to stop selling food, having found that the outlet was full of mice. Ahold faces a heavy fine for the infractions.

Also last week, SZPI found shortcomings at a Julius Meinl outlet in Ceske Budejovice, and earlier this week at Julius Meinl outlets in Prague and Tabor, South Bohemia. Julius Meinl had recently announced it was leaving the country, and its outlets are to be taken over by Ahold.

SZPI has already carried out 3,700 inspections this year and discovered shortcomings in 1,400 cases, according to SZPI director Jakub Sebesta, who added that the number of inspections is likely to increase in reaction to the rising number of complaints.

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