Response

If any person sales adulterated article of food, he is liable under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 to be punished with imprisonment and fined. Sale of expired packaged food is a frequently occurring problem. Section 273 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 criminalizes the act of sale of harmful perishable food products with knowledge as an offence punishable by six months imprisonment or a fine or both.

You have other options available to you as well rather than lodging a First Information Report (F.I.R) in police and turning this into a criminal case. You can lodge a complaint with the nearest Designated officer/ Food Safety Officer in writing. or even on phone or Email under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

If the district office refuses to take your complaint, then you can lodge the complaint to Food Safety Commissioner Office. You can contact the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) through an online platform called the Food Safety Voice, which gives the people the right to register complaints regarding adulterated, substandard or unsafe food.

You may even go to the consumer forum under Consumer Protection Act, 2019. It has three levels: the District Forum, the State Committee and the National Committee. You shall approach the District Forum.

Reference: Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, Section 273 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and Consumer Protection Act, 2019

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