Food company changed expiry dates

Three members of a family running a food business in Palma de Mallorca were arrested by National Police for distributing products which has passed their expiry date.

The investigation began when police were informed the business may be violating workers’ rights.

This revealed that management and staff were falsifying expiry dates on products which were distributed to schools and hospitals amongst other places, as well as the fact that foods were being stored in warehouses with no proper hygiene conditions and delivery vehicles were not refrigerated.

The company distributed preserved vegetables, fish, pasta, jams and other products.

The premises, located on Son Castello Industrial Estate, were raided and police found blank labels, dissolvent to erase expiry dates, products which had been tampered with, computer equipment and various documents.

They have since been closed.

Five Spanish workers have also been charged and claim that they agreed to tamper with the dates for fear of losing their jobs.

They also say they were forced to work overtime with no extra pay, made to drive overloaded lorries and their wages docked if any of the products were ruined. 

The three detainees have been charged with document falsification and crimes against public health and workers’ rights.