Carrefour food scandal shuts down store

Zhengzhou (CNS) – A Zhengzhou branch store of the supermarket chain Carrefour was shut down by local industry and commerce authorities in Henan Province on Sunday, three days after the store was accused of selling food that had surpassed expiration dates and selling regular chicken as the more expensive free-range class of poultry.

The people who are in charge of the Zhengzhou store were asked by authorities to assess their responsibility for the misconduct.

The store on Garden Road is in the commercial heart of Zhengzhou City. On March 18, a reporter from CNS saw the store gates were sealed and a sign "Business suspended for reorganization." Passersby stopped to take it in and some even took a picture.

"It's better for the public this way – we deserve safe food," a woman surnamed Yu commentd on the closing.

The store made a public apology and offered to compensate customers who had bought the problem products.

Zhang Zhen, vice manager of the Middle and Western divisions of Carrefour China, promised they will set up special teams to patrol food quality, especially fresh foods, five times per day.