Notable violations: no appropriate signage informing the consumer about the process, no discounted meat was presented, the chain contrary to the instructions recommends citizens to buy other meat (more expensive), in the competitive deli the meat smelled bad and no suitable barcodes were displayed. The audit findings will be forwarded to the Quotas Committee for review. According to the firm: A marketer who has not complied with the rules of the procedure is subject to various sanctions, including forfeiture of guarantees and negative coverage in the future.
According to the procedure, the four importers – Neto, Shufersal, Rami Levy and Adom Group – who together won about 17,000 tons of quota, undertake to sell minced meat to consumers at NIS 29-31 per kilogram. Net, for example, undertook to sell at NIS 29 per kilogram And sells this meat among other things at Victory and Happiness Witness. Red Group sells pavilion wines. Importers and chains are obligated to sell 20% of the quota at this price, and the rest of the meat they import duty free, they can sell at high prices. They are also obligated to place a sign in the branches informing consumers that the meat is being sold at that price.
We published in Ynet that for years the net importer has been receiving the largest quota in meat, and the same has happened this year (7,000 tons), despite suspicions of violations. Shufersal, which this year won the second largest quota (4,500 tons), also imports fresh meat with net assistance. In addition, Shufersal presents alongside the discounted minced meat more expensive meat for tahini, at NIS 49.90, and dozens of butchers we spoke to told us that the discounted meat is very oily meat with tens of percent fat, while the tender requires that this meat contain 14% fat. Most of them recommended not buying it due to it being greasy.
As part of the Ministry of Economy’s operation, the chains’ branches were inspected and will be inspected: Rami Levy, Shufersal, Beitan Wines, Victory, Mehadrin Market, City Market, Shufersal Express, Superdil, Osher to Stop Market, Shufersal Sheli. The campaign was held at the branches of Eilat, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Kiryat Gat, Kiryat Malachi, Yeruham, Netivot, Beer Sheva, Yavne, Haifa, Afula, Carmiel, Hadera, Kiryat Bialik, Kiryat Motzkin, Kiryat Ata, Acre, Nahariya, Tiberias, Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, Netanya, Rehovot, Ness Ziona, Rishon Lezion, Ramla, Givatayim, Raanana, Kfar Saba, Petah Tikva, Jerusalem, Modi’in, Beit Shemesh, Modi’in Illit, Beitar Illit, Mevaseret Zion, Ma’ale Adumim, Atarot and Givat Ze’ev.
Director General of the Ministry of Economy and Industry, David Lefler: “The Ministry of Economy’s inspection activity is intended to ensure that the Israeli consumer receives meat at a discounted price, as promised by the importers who won duty-free meat quotas. The price of a kilogram of this meat is supposed to cost about NIS 30 on average, compared to other meat presented in the markets and sold at prices twice as high as this price. Unfortunately, we have so far found violations amounting to about 30% of tests performed in various marketing chains. “It did not meet the conditions it undertook, and is subject to sanctions.”
It was recently learned that the head of the quotas committee, Danny Tal, is leaving his post.