Tonnes of meat products pulled from sale in Bosnia's RS entity over safety and labelling violations

According to the Inspectorate, the products were withdrawn from the market due to incomplete or inaccurate labelling, expired shelf life, and changes in appearance and smell that rendered them unfit for sale.

Since the beginning of the year, the RS Veterinary Inspectorate has carried out 375 inspections at butcher shops, wholesalers, supermarkets, slaughterhouses, farms, storage facilities and meat processing plants.

"To address the identified irregularities, inspectors issued 100 administrative measures, while fines imposed for misdemeanours reached a total of 50,000 Bosnian marks (approximately €25,500)," the Inspectorate said.

The Inspectorate said entity and local veterinary inspectors conduct daily inspections of meat and meat products throughout the production and distribution chain.

Inspectors monitor the entire supply process, from the origin of raw materials and processing to storage, retail outlets and final consumers, while also verifying compliance with hygiene and microbiological standards.

Particular attention is paid to product labelling, including the accuracy of information on production dates, country of origin and expiry dates. These details are verified by comparing accompanying documentation and purchase invoices with products stored in cold storage facilities.

"Fresh unpackaged meat from animals raised or slaughtered in different countries must be clearly separated and labelled at the point of sale so that consumers can easily identify its origin," the Inspectorate said.

Consumer protection groups say public concern over meat quality has been growing.

Snežana Seslija, president of the Doboj-based consumer association ToPeeR, told Nezavisne novine that consumers are increasingly complaining about the quality of lower-priced meat, particularly pork.

"That meat was most likely previously frozen. Another major issue is the lack of transparency regarding inspection findings, meaning consumers do not know whether the disputed products were actually destroyed. There is a justified concern that imported meat, which has been thawed before sale, is ending up on our market," Seslija said.

She added that consumers have been losing confidence in large retailers, while many still place greater trust in local butcher shops that claim to source meat domestically. According to Seslija, complaints about the quality of processed meat products, such as pâtés, are even more frequent.