Headlines
Maggi sales in Pakistan unaffected by Indian food scare
Islamabad, June 14
Pakistani retailers have
said that so far sales of Maggi noodles have been stable as consumers
have not reacted to reports of lead contamination in Indian manufactured
noodles being sold across the border, media reported on Sunday.
In
India, a ban was imposed on the sales of Nestle Maggi Noodles on June
5, after high levels of lead were found in the product packets. The
company ordered a recall of its product soon after, Dawn online
reported.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India said
last week it was banning the company from producing and selling the
noodles after tests in some states found high level of lead.
“What
happened in India? We do not know anything. The consumers have not
expressed any reservations in purchase of the said popular snack,†a
retailer said.
“We are giving orders to the distributors for Maggi purchase as usual.â€
A
retailer from Karachi, however, said that a distributor of Maggi
noodles is assuring shopkeepers that the product being sold in Pakistan
is safe.
Some retailers were of the view that the government
should take notice of the situation as Nestlé Pakistan produces the same
product here.
“Maggi noodles are completely safe and have been
trusted in India for over 30 years. The trust of our consumers and the
safety of our products is our first priority. Unfortunately, recent
developments and unfounded concerns about the product in India have led
to an environment of confusion for the consumer there, to such an extent
that Nestle India has decided to withdraw the product off the shelves
in India, despite the product being safe,†Nestle Pakistan said in an
official statement on its website.
The statement adds that Nestle Pakistan does not import any Maggi product from India.
“Maggi
products sold in Pakistan are locally manufactured in our Kabirwala
factory near Multan. Maggi products produced in Pakistan are safe and
Halal. The product is safe in Pakistan and made in Pakistan.â€
“Nestle
Pakistan pro-actively conducts tests on all their products regularly,
and consumers can be assured that our products are safe to consume,†the
website claims.