AK’s Hyper management and staff have officially responded to the mayoral inspection on Monday (June 22), which resulted in action being taken against the store.

They have stressed that their valued customers need to hear both sides of the story.

The statement reads as follows:

To our valued customers, suppliers, staff and the Ladysmith community,

We are aware of the recent videos, social media discussions and public concern arising from an inspection conducted at AK’s Hyper.

Firstly, we would like to reassure our customers that their health, safety and well-being remain our highest priority. For many years, AK’s Hyper has proudly served the Ladysmith community, and we remain committed to maintaining high standards of food safety, quality and customer service.

During the inspection, a number of concerns were raised relating to product labelling, date markings and certain compliance requirements. Many of the products shown in the circulating videos consisted of freshly packed or recently received stock. In a number of cases, the concern related to date-marking and labelling requirements rather than the age or quality of the product itself. While these matters required corrective action to ensure full compliance, the videos circulating on social media did not necessarily provide the full context surrounding the products that were removed for inspection.

As a large supermarket carrying thousands of product lines, occasional oversights may occur despite the systems and controls we have in place. Where concerns were identified, corrective action was taken immediately and all matters raised during the inspection have since been addressed.

We wish to emphasise that AK’s Hyper does not knowingly sell food that is unsafe for consumption. We take food safety extremely seriously and have always worked to ensure that products offered to our customers meet the required standards. Any items identified during the inspection were promptly removed, reviewed and dealt with appropriately, and additional measures have been implemented to further strengthen our compliance procedures.

We have co-operated fully with the relevant authorities throughout this process and continue to work closely with them to ensure compliance with all applicable requirements. We appreciate the guidance provided and remain committed to maintaining the standards expected by both the authorities and our customers.

We also acknowledge that various comments, opinions and speculation have circulated on social media. We respectfully encourage members of the public not to rely solely on short video clips or incomplete information when forming conclusions. We believe that fairness, facts and proper process are important for everyone involved.

AK’s Hyper serves customers from all backgrounds, cultures and communities. We are proud of the diverse community that has supported us over the years and we encourage unity, respect and understanding. We do not support divisive or inflammatory commentary of any nature and remain focused on serving every customer with the same commitment and respect.

We have been overwhelmed by the support, encouragement and goodwill shown by our customers, suppliers, staff and members of the wider community during this time. The numerous phone calls, messages, emails, comments and personal visits have been greatly appreciated and have reminded us how fortunate we are to serve such a loyal and supportive community. We sincerely thank everyone who took the time to reach out, offer support and place their trust in AK’s Hyper.

We would like to thank our loyal customers, staff, suppliers and the wider community for their continued support, patience and understanding. Your trust is greatly valued, and we remain committed to providing quality products, excellent service and a safe shopping environment for all.

We look forward to continuing to serve the people of Ladysmith for many years to come.

Kind regards,

AK’S HYPER MANAGEMENT

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