Online retailer fined $1,600 for selling food products with tampered expiry dates

Online retailer GoPurpose Inc has been fined $1,600 for selling pre-packed food products that were labelled with tampered expiry date-markings, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said in a media release on Wednesday (Feb 20).

The AVA said it received feedback last June that GoPurpose was suspected to have sold Chaga Health pre-packed food products beyond their recommended expiry dates.

Investigations revealed that GoPurpose had replaced the original expiry-date markings on the food products with new expiry date-markings that were beyond the manufacturer's recommended expiry date.

According to its website, GoPurpose sells sustainable lifestyle products and organic agriculture.

"AVA takes a serious view of false and inaccurate labelling of food," it said in its statement.

All pre-packed food products for sale in Singapore must be labelled according to the general labelling requirements of the Singapore Food Regulations. 

"Accurate date-marking ofexpiry dates for products is important as products after their expiry dates might have deteriorated in quality."

Any person who commits an offence under the Sale of Food act may be fined up to $1,000 for their offence and up to $2,000 on subsequent convictions.