Lucky Star has rectified misleading information regarding counterfeit canned pilchards seized in Sedibeng during a police raid.

This after Gauteng police arrested seven undocumented migrants at a factory where workers were altering dates on fake and expired canned fish, initially reported to be of Lucky Star origin.

The suspects relabelled expired 2021/22 pilchard cans with counterfeit 2026 dates.

Media reports suggested that the canned pilchards may have been part of a consignment rejected by Woolworths for not meeting quality control standards after the relabelled stock was found packaged in Woolworth’s boxes.

But Lucky Star says its investigators and third-party experts have categorically confirmed this is not their product.

The labels are counterfeit and we do not use ring-pull lids on our canned pilchards. So far investigations have established that an international manufacturer produced the canned pilchards under the Woolworths’ brand. The retailer imported the product from Morocco and received them but later rejected the consignment and asked the supplier to collect it. After collection, some of the consignment appears to have been intercepted and illegally relabelled as Lucky Star using fake labels and repacked into the Woolworths-labelled cartons.

SAPS conducted a raid, and the onsite inspection revealed label printing machines, easy-to-open ring pull cans, and other substances and paraphernalia.

Lucky Star says this is completely inconsistent with the manufacture of the Lucky Star product and “proves beyond doubt that the product seized is not of Lucky Star origin.”

All products and machinery were confiscated, while Woolworths investigations continue.

The police are investigating a case of Contravention of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, while the owner of the factory, situated in the south of Johannesburg, remains at large.

Lucky Star has further advised consumers to be on the lookout for fake products and to report it to the relevant authorities.

They have issued a checklist for how to check whether Lucky Star pilchards are legitimate:

• Check the quality of the label. We use only high-quality paper unique to our product lines. Counterfeit goods labelling is generally poorer quality.
• Check the print clarity. If there is any smudging or colour shifting it could indicate the product is counterfeit.
• Check whether the label is misaligned or not properly stuck to the can.
• Check the unique product code and best-before-date ink-jetted on the end of the can.
• Check the clarity and legibility of the bar code.
• Check the unique, traceable codes printed on the label glue flap.
• Check pallets for our security tape and identity tags.
• Lucky Star cans do not have ring pull or easy-opening lids on our canned pilchards.

Should consumers be suspicious of a product they are encouraged to contact the company’s Consumer Care Line on 0860 102 500. Alternatively e-mail info@luckystar.co.za

Retailers can contact one of our representatives or their field agent. Alternatively call the CGCSA Crime Initiative hotline on 0800 014 856 or e-mail them on crime@cgsa.co.za

The counterfeit pilchards bust comes as the country grapples with a spike in food-borne illnesses, mostly amongst children, with especially spaza shops in the spotlight.