Muscat: The Court of First Instance has fined a supermarket in Buraimi for selling out-of-date food.

The court ordered a 10-day shutdown of the outlet while imposing a fine of 1,500 Omani riyals (Dh14,264) following a complaint from an Omani consumer.

The complainant, identified by the Consumer Protection Department in Northern Batinah as Abdul Rehman, approached the department after guests and his family members suffered a stomach upset after consuming juice made from a powdered product.

According to a department official Abdul Rehman had bought the packed powered product from a local supermarket in Buraimi. “After his complaint we checked the product packing and found that the powder had expired five months before it was sold to the consumer,” an official at the consumer department said.

On investigation the Consumer Protection Department found out that the supermarket had continued selling the expired powder even after the complainant had taken ill after consuming juice made from that powder.

The department then took up the case with the court, which ordered the shut down of the supermarket and imposed a fine.

The Consumer Protection Department in Southern Sharqiyah also helped resolve a similar issue. Two citizens approached the department with complaints about factory defects in their vehicles. The vehicles were replaced after the case was settled.

Recently, the Public Authority for Consumer Protection recovered a total sum of 216,643 riyals in favour of consumers who filed complaints with the authority seeking compensation for defective products, according to a press release by the department.

Meanwhile, the Buraimi Municipality has intensified inspections of foodstuff stores and outlets, restaurants and Ramadan food preparation shops in the governorate.

The authorities have formed teams to carry out inspection work during the holy month. The team is making visits prior to iftar and after Taraweeh prayers.

The campaign is aimed at supervising shops in Buraimi to ensure the safety and protection of consumers.

The campaign aims to ensure that these establishments and stores abide by the personal hygiene stipulations for its staff and also municipal norms.