Meatco selling beef in a million defective cans – Products suitable for human consumption but only for own use
The Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) is selling one million cans of sub-standard corned beef which the meat processor said are safe for human consumption but may not be resold.
Meatco Corporate Communication Officer, Undamuje Hambira confirmed to the Economist that the 300 gram corned beef cans amount to a million and the entity is selling them to staff, farmers associations and the public at large.
On Tuesday, Meatco said in a note the cans are classified as a sub-standard product due to the fact that the Namibia Standard Institution (NSI), downgraded the large consignment of cans due to minor tin and/or seam defects. This applies only to the cans and there is nothing wrong with the contents, Meatco indicated.
“The product inside is still fit for human consumption. The conditions from NSI is that this product can be used for own consumption within six month and is not for re-sale,” Meatco said.
According to Meatco, the entity released the products two months ago into the market but stated that customers buying this product may not resell them.
“It is also very clear on the label that the product is not for resale,” they said, adding that this is not government drought relief food.
Meatco meanwhile said that on 23 April, they donated 25,000 cans of corned beef to the Khomas Regional Council as part of their Social Corporate Responsibility to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The product was labelled as COVID-19 Support and not for resale. Although the labelling looks similar [to the substandard cans] the label reads differently,” they added.
Meatco has since urged the public and local police to work closely with them to ensure that customers buying this product do not resell it as it is merely for own consumption.
