A nationwide grocery tracking system will be set up and a
crackdown has been launched on unlicensed food vendors to ensure
product quality and food safety, a senior official said
yesterday.
By the end of the year, all food markets and supermarkets in
cities above county level would have set up a tracking system
requiring invoices and documents to be attached to goods, Zhou
Bohua, director of the State Administration for Industry and
Commerce (SAIC), told a news conference.
All township, street-side and community groceries shall keep
real-time business records.
The moves will allow inspectors to trace the origin of food
products easily.
The official also vowed to "thoroughly" tackle all unlicensed
small groceries and stores at township-level and above by the
year-end.
"This is a special battle to protect people's health and basic
interests, and safeguard the credibility and image of Chinese
products," Zhou said.
According to official data, the authorities at various levels
have inspected 372,000 enterprises and individuals, 17,332
marketplaces and 7,633 key areas in the past month.
In addition, inspectors shut down 9,098 unlicensed food vendors
in the first seven months this year.
Food producers and sellers are under increased scrutiny with
quality thresholds being raised for renewal or granting of
licenses, Zhou said.
Those operating without a license will be shut down, he
added.
It is estimated that there are more than 4.69 million food
vendors in the country.
The crackdown is part of a nationwide four-month campaign
started in late August to improve product and food safety.
In addition, a 1-year campaign has been initiated to improve
food quality in rural areas.
(China Daily September 19, 2007)