This grocer is selling their flood-soaked goods
By cheerfulnuts
@cheerfulnuts (604)
Philippines
September 2, 2012 11:37pm CST
This grocery store is located at the basement of a building a few blocks from my home. During the monsoon rains that had flooded Manila a few weeks ago, the entire store was submerged in water. After the floods, the store tried to save as much goods as possible. They placed their goods on the sidewalk to dry, and there were large basins on the sidewalk where the staffs would wash the flooded goods. I passed the store every day on my way home. They would wash not only canned goods, but also biscuits, chocolate bars, and chips, among others. It was really disgusting. Since the sidewalk was narrow, some passers-by would accidentally kick or step on the goods. My mom said that they're probably going to sell the items to other retail stores near the marginalized areas at low prices.
I know that a lot of residents and businessmen in my area had lost millions worth of property from the floods. But it's not right to sell flooded goods that may cause diseases to consumers.
My mom wants to report them, but who should we contact?
2 people like this
6 responses
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
4 Sep 12
Oh if the goods were not food then that would be okay but if they would be reselling food items they should discard this already. I hope some good citizen would report this to DTI so they can be apprehended to at least the items would be confiscated and properly disposed them.
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
4 Sep 12
The question in here is if there is someone who reported this activity to the authority. I guess this will go on for as long as the concerned citizen would not act on this matter they will continue to make money on this one and will be detrimental to the unknowing victims of this goods.
@cheerfulnuts (604)
• Philippines
4 Sep 12
You're right rsa101. If they sell chairs, clothes, or metals, it's safe to resell them. But food is another story. They can't just sell food items that have been soaked in the floods. It's not only disgusting but also unsafe.
1 person likes this
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
3 Sep 12
You should contact Department of Trade and Industry. They should not be allowed to sell these goods as they are no longer fit for human consumption.
@SIMPLYD (90721)
• Philippines
3 Sep 12
Yes, i agree, jenny that it's the Dept. of Trade and Industry (DTI) to whom it should be reported. They are the industries' regulators. 
@rog0322 (2829)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
3 Sep 12
Hi,
By all industry standards, any product that has passed damage by a natural or man-made calamity should pass government certification/inspection before being sold again.
I would contact everybody: the police, the barangay, TV Patrol, Imbestigador Mike Enriquez if I am nearer your place. I don't want to buy products like that unless it is disposed as giveaway goods after proper clearance from concerned agencies like the DOH and DTI.
@cheerfulnuts (604)
• Philippines
4 Sep 12
Wow, that's a lot.:P I'll have to check the grocery's exact address again, or else the DTI or Mike Enriquez would end up in someone else's doorstep. Yesterday, I didn't see them washing their goods anymore. I wonder if they had finished washing everything or if someone had already filed a complaint against them.
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
3 Sep 12
It's like expensive second hand cars that they sell cheap but what they term as "na Ondoy" (Damaged by typhoon Ondoy), just no way to bring it back to it's original state
. It's okay if they declare it as water damaged, same way some tools or things are declared as fire or water damaged, just don't know the law about food, make them eat it first before the sell it!
. It's okay if they declare it as water damaged, same way some tools or things are declared as fire or water damaged, just don't know the law about food, make them eat it first before the sell it!@cheerfulnuts (604)
• Philippines
4 Sep 12
That's what I'm thinking too LOL. The store owner should eat them first to check if they're safe for human consumption. Or they could just put a sign saying "Flooded goods. Buy at your own risk."
@seriousnuts (508)
• Philippines
3 Sep 12
This is really disgusting. I know that store and I try my best to warn as many people as I can against buying goods there. You are right, their actions should be reported to the authorities.
@cheerfulnuts (604)
• Philippines
4 Sep 12
We have to be careful in buying food. If the item looks dirty, I won't buy it even if it costs half the original price.
@cheerfulnuts (604)
• Philippines
4 Sep 12
I have been food poisoned a couple of times and I know how hard it feels. They should put the consumer welfare above all.
