Portuguese need instructions on how to chew gum

[martin]

yes with an increase of 82 per cent in unemployment the dreaded ASAE police have been out and about making troubles for firms who are keeping some folk in work

This time their target was "let the magic in " algoz uk food store and two other similar shops and two uk food wholesalers and even makro with their uk food section..the reason was that theses firms goods didnt have instruction in Portuguese, so "let the magic in" are now busy sticking labels on everything (they were forced to shut for a week it seems) ..of course the labels are so small you need a microscope to read them. The labels even have to put on chewing gum. Well thats a telling indictment of the Portuguese education system init ?

One woman ASAE inspector was nice while the other I hear was a real arrogant so and so

Does anyone in portugal do anything to help business here...it seems not

[shanagarry]

Well, you know what to do if you don't like the way the Portuguese run their country - however, before you buy your one-way ticket - don't think you are escaping the 'big-brother' regime by returning to the UK

[Polli62]

The Majority of UK food packaging products for export should cover EU countries & more for different languages, and it should be up to the manufacturing food companies to make sure they have this info on their packaging when it goes to the designer, print & end product, if not, then it has to be provided by extra labelling. But I will say that there are lots of Portuguese food packaging that doesn't have any other language on them at all , are they immune, whats good for the goose should be good for the gander.

[SJ & RE]

It does depend on what part of the EU Legislation, it covers and which part of the legislation Portugal accepted and took aboard. Each EU state, ie Portugal or Spain or the UK etc can take on board various aspects they so wish through legilation and govt intervention via EU Brussels directive.

[blue]

It's not just a question of expats not liking the way Portugal is run, the Portuguese don't seem to like it much either from what I hear, apart from the bureaucrats & civil service employees who seem to enjoy it enormously.
Whenever I buy an imported product with the Portuguese label stuck on it the label always covers the English instructions & even when you spend ages trying to carefully peel off the label the instructions underneath always peel off as well.

[blue]

On the subject of chewing gum I think a lot of the English could do with instructions on how to dispose of it, nearly every town or city use visit in England has pavements covered in the stuff, absolutely disgusting.

[SJ & RE]

Totally agree.
It costs the tax payer millions of pounds each year to remove this disgusting product form our sidewalks etc. Fowl stuff.
I think it should cost 4 times as much as it does to purchase in order to help offeset the costs to remove this stuff.

[Gambrinus]

Labelling foreign products with portuguese consumer labels has been the law for over two decades. The fact that these shops either didn't know or didn't care just goes to show how lax people treat consumer rights in this country.

While the work of the ASAE is being depicted like they are just terrorizing merchants, their function is essentialy the protection of the consumer and in this case they are absolutely right in forcing the merchants to abide by the law.

[martin]

in fact "let the magic in" did have labels on their food, but they didnt have labels saying how to cook..you know...tin of peas..put in saucepan with water...heat...serve....eat

this is from them as explanation

"we truly believed we complied with all laws regarding the labeling of english products with labels listing the ingredients in translated into portuguese, however ignorance is not a defense and all products must also be labeled with the preparation and storage instructions in portuguese"

[R.Wethereyet]

We were in Apolonia last week and nearly all their UK German and Dutch foods did not have labelling in Portuguese.
However not many Portuguese products had English on them, they did however have nearly every former eastern European language on them.

[Al Garb]

The issue is where the manufacturer intended the product to be marketed. Anything intended for Portugal would have Portuguese labels; but much of the stuff sold in the "UK" shops here is bought in UK wholesalers or retailers, marked up in price and sold on here. The manufacturer did not necessarily plan that his brown sauce would be marketed in the environs of CVO

[shanagarry]

This subject has baffled me for years - are the Brits trying to colonise Portugal by importing their own food and culture? I sincerely hope not.

Stop - and realise the reason you left the UK in the first place - to create a new life and adapt to the Portuguese way of life - or is there an ulterior motive. My reason for leaving (in addition to the ambiance and pleasant environment) is to get away from Marmite - I don't want it following me (regardless of what it says on the label) but my Wife and our family are not very excited at the prospect of losing their beloved 'molten tarmac'. I can't wait.

[martin]

its nothing to do with "colonization", most people when they move to another place like to eat what they are used to and sometimes remind themselves of tastes they once experienced

aldis and lidls are full of german food stuffs, intermache loads of french foods etc

[shanagarry]

and they have Marmite (Intermarche) - it's the reason we use Continente - so far they have avoided it.

[blue]

Well that's it then obviously, according to some people, now that I live in Portugal I am only ever allowed to eat Portuguese food here. No more French, Italian, Spanish, Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Japonese, et al, & God forbid!! That I should ever have a fancy for anything from England/Britain. Likewise all you people living in the UK stop immediately eating anything other than British foods, no more French, Italian, Chinese... From Dijon mustard to edam cheese, you just stop it now!

DUH!!