Sri Lanka’s Public Health Inspectors’ Union (PHIU) said it has initiated legal action against more than 400 traders following island-wide inspections conducted during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festive period. PHIU Secretary Chamil Muthukuda said more than 12,000 shops were inspected across nearly 2,000 raids carried out between April 1 and April 12.
Muthukuda said the action targeted establishments found selling food under unsanitary conditions or distributing expired food items — the two most common violations flagged during the pre-festival enforcement sweep. PHIs worked alongside Consumer Affairs Authority teams in several districts as part of a coordinated effort to protect shoppers buying sweetmeats, dry goods and meat products ahead of the April 13-14 festival.
The new tally caps an enforcement drive that saw 817 cases filed after 11,000 inspections before the festival, according to PHIU figures released on April 13. The April 1-12 window included peak festival shopping days and the final pre-Avurudu rush through Pettah, Kandy, Galle and other retail hubs.
Muthukuda said similar raids will continue in the run-up to the Vesak and Poson festivals in May and June, when demand for sweets, confectionery and dairy products typically surges. He urged traders to maintain basic food safety standards year-round, noting that seasonal pressure tends to amplify violations at small outlets.
The PHIU enforcement operates alongside broader CAA raids targeting price gouging, short weights and expired products — a seasonal pattern that has intensified since the April 5 gas price hike triggered a cost-of-living ripple across restaurants and food retailers.
