Fareast Mercantile (FMCL) Ghana, an importer and distributor of fast-moving consumables, has rejected claims that it sold expired goods to unsuspecting Ghanaians.

According to the company, such allegations are false and should be disregarded by the consuming public.

“Fareast Mercantile (FMCL) Ghana is aware of false and unverified allegations made against our business in an online publication in Ghana.”

“We believe these allegations to be incorrect as FMCL Ghana does not sell any expired products and, to the best of our knowledge, we are not aware of any unethical conduct by our current employees,” the company said in a rejoinder.

A report by a fact-checking organisation in Ghana, Dubawa accused Fareast Mercantile and a network of some ‘get-rich-quick’ businessmen, of selling cartons of expired biscuits and other products at reduced prices in Ghana during the 2021 Christmas festivities.

According to Dubawa, such activities, which were in flagrant violation of Ghana’s Food and Drug Authority (FDA) guidelines, were conducted in the Central Business District of Accra.

While refuting the claims, FMCL said it has initiated an internal investigation into the matter.

Below is the full rejoinder from FMCL 

FMCL Ghana’s response to unverified allegations

Fareast Mercantile (FMCL) Ghana is aware of false and unverified allegations made against our business in an online publication in Ghana.

We believe these allegations to be incorrect as FMCL Ghana does not sell any expired products and, to the best of our knowledge, we are not aware of any unethical conduct by our current employees.

We however, view these allegations in a very serious light and have initiated an internal investigation into the matter.

As a responsible corporate citizen, we strive to adhere to and comply with all market regulations, including health and safety standards in all our operations. This includes the adherence to rigorous independent auditing of product expiry dates, as well as rigorous ethical and regulatory policies that guide our operations.