"Magnet" intends to sell the delay, the experts found objections

On Thursday, August 18, news agencies disseminated information about Magnit's intention to trade expired products. The relevant documents, prepared by the retailer under the plausible pretext of managing sustainable development, were analyzed by Izvestia.

In particular, the authors suggest that manufacturers of feed and fertilizers are interested in expired products after laboratory confirmation of their safety. Their position is shared by experts from the Russian Environmental Operator (REO).

PJSC Magnit, which owns almost 27,000 stores, is often perceived as a pillar of the distribution system, nevertheless, one of the largest operators in the country does not lose sight of global trends. According to his concept, the release of delinquency into trade circulation will reduce the amount of waste in landfills (by half by 2025). The company is ready to optimize purchases from suppliers, transfer expired products for processing and sell them to counterparties. The scheme of their write-off and registration is attached.

In the summer of 2021, Magnit launched a project for the environmental audit of waste that accumulates in store containers, starting with 36 outlets in four regions of Russia. Having tested the practice, the network management intends to legitimize it. Government Decree No. 1612 of October 7, 2020 determines the procedure for withdrawing hazardous products from circulation. It follows from the law “On the Quality and Safety of Food Products” (29-FZ) that delay also falls under this term, the management of PJSC “Magnit” believes. Therefore, it can be sent for examination and sold after confirmation of safety. 

Selling expired products is prohibited by the law “On the Quality and Safety of Food Products” (29-FZ), said Denis Butsaev, general director of the Russian environmental operator, in an interview with Izvestia. However, the retailer can indeed conduct an examination, and then conclude an agreement with partners on the disposal or destruction of products and subsequently pay for the service.

Such a tactic approach takes a lot of time and money, although food safety may not be confirmed, however, in this case, the owner of the products will be responsible for them in the future, says Petr Shelishch, chairman of the Consumers Union.

According to Ilya Chekhin, a lawyer at the Kovalev, Tugushi and Partners Bar Association, the turnover of delays is quite justifiably prohibited: it can be dangerous not only for the health of consumers, but also for the environment.

According to the Association of Retail Companies (AKORT), the annual loss of food products is approximately 7% of the turnover - about 700 thousand tons. A quarter of this volume falls on cakes, dairy gastronomy, deli meats, sausages and groceries. Another 30% - for meat, fish and poultry, 45% - for fruits and vegetables.

Selling "expired" products to customers at a deep discount or donating them to charity is strictly prohibited, while the transfer of expired products for recycling on a reimbursable basis is in every sense the right, rational step that reduces the environmental impact, says the chairman of the presidium AKORT Igor Karavaev.