Shop owner fined for selling expired orange juice

A shop owner in Colombo received a fine of 100,000 rupees from the Colombo Additional Magistrate’s Court for displaying and selling expired orange juice unfit for human consumption. Colombo Additional Magistrate H.D.D.J. Premaratne delivered the sentence after the Consumer Affairs Authority arrested and produced the suspect before the court.

Investigating officers informed the court that according to the Special Gazette publication under Command No. 52, it is a punishable offence for any manufacturer, importer, distributor, or trader to identify, display, or sell expired food items within their business process. The court heard that the defendant displayed a 330ml pack of concentrated orange juice with an expiry date of 14 March 2026 in a manner that misled the consumer.

The suspect was apprehended while selling the drink for 660 rupees to Yasith Ishan, an investigating officer attached to the Consumer Affairs Authority. The officers noted that the act constituted an offence under the Consumer Affairs Authority Act No. 09 of 2003. After considering the facts presented, the Magistrate ordered the suspect to pay the 100,000 rupee fine.