"Maxima" is poisoning people
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Representatives of "Maxima" hurried to announce that they have removed all the poisonous cups from their stores, but in reality they keep selling them, even with a discount.The notorious supermarket chain is now involved in yet another scandal (which, having in mind its connections, it's trying to suppress).
Earlier this month the food and veterinary authorities have announced that dishes produced by "Brightman International Trading" (China) have to be removed from the stores. It has been proved that too much melamine - a poisonous chemical which has resulted in the death of several babies in China last year - migrates to liquids from them. See more details here. Representatives of "Maxima" hurried to announce that they have removed all the cups from their stores, but in reality they keep selling them, even with a discount (see here, for example). One cup costs EUR 2. My journalist friend interviewed "Maxima's" press representative - the interview will appear in the next issue of "Atgimimas" tomorrow. The press representative is saying that everyone can return these cups and get their money back, but this is not announced anywhere - customers have to call the press representative to get this information. How is that? This information is not announced on the "Maxima" website. Sales of these cups still continue in smaller stores owned by the chain.
Apparently, the fact that "Maxima" is selling poisonous dishes was only discovered in Estonia. Last autumn the authorities did not allow "Maxima" to sell these dishes, but inspectors didn't find them while checking "Maxima" storehouses. The solution, apparently, was to move them to Estonia and then, after the inspection is over, bring them back to Lithuania and sell them with a discount. Moving the cups around the Baltic states and selling them in smaller, more distant shops has enabled "Maxima" to avoid responsibility, at least until now.
Earlier this month an investigation on some VAT fraud has shown that the enterprise involved in the crime was established by "Maxima" co-owners. The "Maxima" chain, owned by the VP group, has went unpunished for years, as it has good connections and is now a "national investor", participating in the Leo LT energy project. The chain is known for exploiting its employees, selling sub-standard goods and violating anti-dumping laws in Latvia. To improve its public image, the chain has started selling ecological and exotic goods, difficult to get elsewhere.
Photo by Džina