COMESA COMPETITION COMMISSION

CCC-CP-NOTICE-3 of 2022

 UPDATE ON THE NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC ON THE PRODUCT RECALL OF APPLETISER

On 11 November 2022, the COMESA Competition Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to Article 33 of the COMESA Competition Regulations, 2004 (‘the Regulations’) issued a Compulsory Recall to Coca-Cola South Africa (CCSA) requiring them to remove from the Common Market the recalled Appletiser batches that contained high levels of patulin.

The public is hereby informed that the Commission engaged CCSA to establish the progress made on recalling the products from the affected markets. CCSA has informed the Commission that all the affected products were removed from the shelves in the Common Market, some of the products have already been destroyed while others are yet to be destroyed pending approval by the local authorities.

The recall followed quality tests that identified that some of the batches of Appletiser Apple Juice contained patulin levels higher than the legal threshold of 50 parts per billion (microgram/kg). The specific batches of the recalled Appletiser were published along with and their respective date codes as shown below:

The recalled products could be identified by looking at the Best Before date which was stamped at the bottom or top of the products. The pictorial identification of the products were as follows:

The Commission has taken note of the actions put in by CCSA in removing the products from the market to protect consumers. The Commission believes that the situation has been contained and there may be no more substantial effects on consumers.

However, consumers who are still in possession of the affected products are advised to return them to their point of purchase. Consumers who were affected by the consumption of the affected products and were not compensated and those who attempted to return the affected product and were not refunded or were denied the return of the product can report to the Commission at the addresses below or to their national consumer protection agency.

Should you require more information or clarification on the matter you may contact the undersigned on +265 1 772 466, mdisasa@comesa.int  or Mr. Steven Kamukama, Manager Consumer Welfare and Advocacy Division on skamukama@comesa.int.

Meti Demissie Disasa

Registrar

COMESA Competition Commission

5th Floor-West Wing, Kang’ombe House

P.O. Box 30742, Lilongwe 3, Malawi

Office Phone: +265 (0) 1 772466

Email: mdisasa@comesa.int   or compcom@comesa.int

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