Food Safety and Standards: Protecting Consumers

in the realm of food safety and standards, consumers have the right to seek compensation for any harm caused by consuming defective food products. This encompasses a range of potential consequences, from illness and injury to the most severe outcome, death.

When a defective product or deficient service leads to harm, individuals have the legal recourse to pursue a product liability action against the responsible parties. This can include manufacturers, sellers or service providers. Examples of such liabilities include manufacturing defects, design flaws or the failure to provide adequate instructions for product usage.

Defects in food products can manifest in various forms, such as contamination, foreign objects, improper labelling or the failure to meet safety standards.

A recent incident involving the recall of peanut butter due to elevated levels of aflatoxin serves as a pertinent example. Aflatoxins, identified by the World Health Organisation as highly toxic mycotoxins, are produced by certain moulds found in soil, decaying vegetation, hay and grains.

Health complications associated with aflatoxin consumption include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, as reported by News24.

In product liability cases related to defective food, manufacturers, distributors, sellers and importers may all be subject to legal action. Evidence supporting such claims may include medical reports, defective food samples, purchase receipts and any pertinent documentation.

Compensation for harm caused by defective food can encompass various aspects, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and punitive damages in severe cases. Even expired food items sold to consumers, resulting in harm, may fall under the purview of product liability.

While liability typically applies to parties involved in the production, distribution or sale of food products, specific exceptions may vary based on the circumstances of each case. Notably, restaurants can also be held accountable under product liability laws if they serve defective or contaminated food leading to harm.

However, amid these considerations, one crucial question arises: Is there adequate legislation governing food safety and standards for consumer protection in Namibia? This inquiry underscores the importance of robust regulatory frameworks to safeguard public health and ensure accountability within the food industry.

In conclusion, the principles of food safety and standards underscore the imperative of protecting consumers from harm caused by defective products. It is essential to have comprehensive legal provisions in place to uphold these standards and safeguard the well-being of individuals within the community.

• Uaatjo Kaurimuje is a consumer protection advocate and freelance writer. She has a postgraduate diploma in consumer protection law and practices from the National Law School of India, an LLB from Studio, a B-Juris from the University of Namibia, and more than 10 years experience in consumer protection. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily represent their employer, organisation, committee or other legislative groups.