Food supplier under investigation for substandard gift pack items

A Shanghai supermarket company is under investigation for supplying substandard food in free gift packs to residents in Minhang and Baoshan districts.

The city's market watchdog said it had received complaints from residents over inferior quality of duck, sugar and rice supplied in the packs by Shanghai Rongyang Supermarket Management Co Ltd.

The duck seasoned with brown sauce in the packs was purchased by Jiangchuan Subdistrict government in Minhang District and delivered to locked-down residents.

It was found to have two manufacturing dates displayed on the packaging, Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation said.

The expiry period for the duck was 10 days, but the processing dates on the packages were April 10 and 16, 2022.

The ducks were purchased by Shanghai Rongyang from Yiwu City Dexiang Agriculture Development Co in Zhejiang Province.

Also, the refined cane sugar included in the same gift packs did not match the production date and manufacturer detail displayed on the packages.

The sugar was bought by the company from Zhejiang Minghui Vegetable and Fruit Delivery Co, according to the administration.

Meanwhile, residents in Gucun Town of Baoshan District complained that the rice they received from the town government in free gift packs had an unpleasant smell.

The rice manufacturer allegedly violated trademark privileges without authorization from the brand company, inspectors found.

It was purchased by Shanghai Rongyang from Huai'an Gufeng Rice Co in neighboring Jiangsu Province and supplied to Gucun Town in gift packs.

The rice has been sent for laboratory tests, authorities said.