WILLEMSTAD - The government of Curaçao announces that, effective immediately, defective products will always be seized in the event of a violation of the Consumer Goods Law. This measure is part of a series of significant amendments to the National Seizure Decree aimed at strengthening public health protection and ensuring food safety.
The National Consumer Goods Regulation safeguards consumers against health risks associated with consuming expired or unsuitable products. Effective and efficient enforcement of this regulation is crucial to preventing health hazards. The recent changes in the National Seizure Decree, approved by the Council of Ministers, aim to more effectively and efficiently protect the health of the population from the risks of expired food and beverages.
In recent years, violations of the Consumer Goods Law, particularly exceeding the expiration date of consumable goods and beverages, have shown an increase. Additionally, it was observed that the National Seizure Decree was not always applied uniformly, leading to a gradual culture of tolerance toward seizures. This has resulted in situations where violations did not consistently result in seizures.
The key changes in the National Seizure Decree include the mandatory seizure of defective products in every identified violation, and specifying the treatment of seized products depending on their nature and condition. Products no longer suitable for human consumption will be destroyed at the owner's expense, while products still fit for human or animal consumption, upon approval, can be donated to charitable organizations or used for animal consumption.
These stricter controls and their systematic implementation, effective from April 1, are intended to strengthen compliance with food safety regulations and put an end to the culture of tolerance that has developed around product seizures. Through these adjustments, a higher standard of food safety is pursued to better protect the health of the population.