The Nairobi City County government has ordered Naivas Supermarkets to close all its outlets in the capital with immediate effect, accusing it of selling expired products, and casting a dark cloud on Kenya’s most successful retail chain.
According to the Nairobi County Health Committee, the supermarket chain has been selling products past their sale by date, prompting the punitive action. “We are here at Naivas Moi Avenue, and we have realised that there are expired products on the shelf, putting Nairobians at risk,” said the committee, led by MCA Maurice Ochieng.
According to the Nairobi County Assembly legislators, a spot check on one of the retailers found expired yoghurt on the shelves alongside other products without expiry dates.
Furthermore, the supermarket chain has been accused of using staff who are not certified. “Also, we found out that the people handling this product have not been tested. Therefore, as a committee, resolve that we resolve to close all the Naivas outlets in Nairobi so that they can be tested and be given certificates so that they are able to serve the Nairobians,” the county added.
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According to the official, Naivas will only be allowed to reopen once the staff are tested and medically certified. The closure is also said to allow a thorough investigation into the supermarket as well as its suppliers.
Naivas Supermarket operates over 30 branches within Nairobi County, including areas such as Kilimani, Lavington, Westlands, Lang’ata, Buruburu, and Kasarani. “We will not sit back, and we are urging Suzzane Silantoi (County Chief Health Officer) to move with speed and make sure that Nairobians are safe with food because most of these facilities have expired products,” he added.
The closure of the outlets will be a huge blow to the operations of Naivas, with hundreds of their employees at risk of being rendered jobless. It will also lead to huge losses in lost sales during the closure period and more expiries of products with a shorter shelf life if the closure takes longer.
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