TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) detected 16,700 links on e-commerce and social media platforms selling food products without distribution permits. The agency’s head Penny Lukito said they are imported and domestic goods.

“It is estimated that the economic value [of the products] reach Rp47.9 billion. This is kind of our economic loss,” Penny said in a virtual press conference on Monday, April 17.

Apart from being economically detrimental, Penny said, products without distribution permits present injustice in trade. “The safety and quality of products without a distribution permit sold online are also not known,” he added.

Based on these findings, she said that the agency followed up and coordinated with the Ministry of Communication and Informatics as well as e-commerce associations, demanding the links to be immediately taken down.

Penny thus appealed to the public to be more observant in buying products, particularly imported ones, and pay attention to the nutritional information on the packaging.

The BPOM would also tighten the rules on nutritional labeling. “For example, the sugar content, we will inform [the public] whether it is safe or not in accordance with existing health standards. We will provide signs and indicator colors,” Penny concluded.

RIRI RAHAYU

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