China summons executives of Walmart-owned Sam’s Club over ‘food-safety issues’
Members-only supermarket chain urged to ‘strictly fulfil’ its corporate responsibilities
Chinese authorities have summoned representatives of US-based membership-only retailer Sam’s Club for an “accountability interview” in response to “frequent food-safety issues”, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced on Monday.
According to a notice from the regulator, the Walmart-owned supermarket chain was urged to “prioritise food safety, strictly fulfil social corporate responsibilities, mitigate risks across the entire supply chain and safeguard public health” in its physical stores and online shops.
But Sam’s Club has been hit by a series of food-safety incidents across China over the past year, including reports of rats and maggots being found in its products.
In response to the regulator’s summons, Sam’s Club pledged on Monday to strengthen its food-safety controls and product quality management, and to uphold stringent food-safety standards to enhance customer experience, the Guangzhou-based Southern Metropolis Daily reported. The company also said it would regularly report its progress on rectification measures to regulators and proactively accept public oversight.
The South China Morning Post reached out to Walmart for comment but did not receive an immediate response.