Expert-Grup and ANSA press club | Non-compliant food products and catering services: how consumers are protected

ANSA director Radu Musteata said the most frequent complaints concern expired products, followed by incomplete labelling (including missing Romanian text), short portions in catering outlets and undeclared allergens. The agency registered about 1,000 complaints last year, mostly from Chisinau, which points to a need for more consumer information in rural areas. He urged consumers to check expiry dates and keep receipts, noted planned and unannounced inspections, and said fines can reach 500 conventional units. ANSA also monitors food fraud, such as soy replacing animal protein in meat, and pesticide standards. A dedicated consumer-rights directorate will be created within ANSA.

Mihaela Pascal of ECC Moldova warned of summer food risks, especially in HoReCa venues, and recommended consuming only in authorised establishments. Other topics included swine fever, camp checks and a rapid alert mechanism for food recalls.