Jeddah Municipality has imposed new rules for selling meat to curb fraud and cheating of consumers. The new rules strictly prohibit combining the activity of selling fresh and refrigerated or frozen meat in one license or the same shop.
During field inspections the general directorate of slaughtering and markets came across cases where butcheries were selling fresh meat and refrigerated or frozen ones in the same shop.
Inspection teams also noticed that butchers cut refrigerated and frozen meat after melting the ice on it and change its validity date to a more recent one to fraudently show its freshness.
The new regulations stipulate that the space area of the butchery should not be less than 16 square meters. “If the butchery is attached to a grocery or supply outlet, the space area should not be less than 9 square meters,” the rules state.
The kind of commercial activity of the butchery should be clearly specified in the license, the butcher should not combine the selling activity of two kinds of meat in one license. All meats should be displayed inside the meat refrigerators, with a thermostat installed clarifying the required cold temperature.
A poster verified by the general directorate of slaughtering and markets should be visible, detailing the kind of meat on sale and the seal of the municipality that distinguishes between local and imported meat.
The regulation states the necessity of registering the butchery in order to grant its owner a permit for slaughtering the animals in the regular slaughter places of the municipality. If no such permit exists, the renewal of the license will be stopped until the owner gets the permit that allows him to use the slaughter house.
On the issue of refrigerators and meat centers that sell refrigerated and frozen meat, the regulation states that each such activity should be separated where frozen meat should be in a separate section from the refrigerated one according to the required cold temperature.
As for malls and big supermarkets, the regulation states that in case such commercial centers want to sell refrigerated or frozen meat side by side with the fresh meat, it should get a license in addition to fulfilling special requirements in this regard.
The requirements include separating each individual section with a signboard placed above each one defining the kind of meat sold.
All kinds of meats must be displayed inside the refrigerators according to the required cold temperature and health measures.
The regulations stress on all the branches of municipalities to submit a monthly report to the general directorate of slaughtering and markets on the progress achieved in regard to the new rules.
Jeddah Municipality imposes new guidelines on sale of meat
