Counterfeit Colgate toothpaste story starts rolling
First the Globe and Mail, then several radio interviews, and now two TV spots for CTV and CBC (Radio Canada). I suppose it's fair to say that the story of the counterfeit Colgate toothpaste I bought in Guelph has been noticed.
The Globe and Mail has written up the story of the counterfeit Colgate toothpaste, and has added a lot of extra useful information:
Health Canada is investigating suspected counterfeit toothpaste found in Southern Ontario that is similar to a product at the centre of a health recall throughout the United States because of fears it contains an ingredient used in antifreeze.
Steve Janke, 40, bought a tube of what purports to be Colgate brand toothpaste labelled as being manufactured in South Africa from a dollar store in Guelph, Ont.
The packaging was missing the French translation found on most Canadian products and the 100-millilitre tube was labelled as being manufactured by Colgate-Palmolive (PTY) Ltd. in South Africa.
We now know how the stuff got into the country:
Wahid Choksi, who owns a chain of discount stores called Everything for a Dollar Store, said he has taken the inventory off the shelves.
"I called all my stores and I told them to remove it from the shelves as soon as possible and they have removed it," Mr. Choksi said Monday. It was unclear last night how many tubes had been sold by Mr. Choksi.
He said he also alerted his supplier, Toronto-based FHT Enterprises Inc. He had ordered the toothpaste from the company on March 26 and was shown a sample with a Canadian label, he said.
Athar Tayyabi, of FHT, said he was also shown a Canadian sample before importing 1,440 tubes from a company in New York. He said Mr. Choksi's chain was the only client he had sold them to.
"I'm going to throw it in the garbage," he said of the remaining inventory. Mr. Tayyabi would not disclose the name of his American supplier.
Mr Tayyabi might be more forthcoming to Health Canada:
Health Canada is taking the discovery seriously.
A spokesman for Health Canada, Paul Duchesne, said the agency would investigate the potential counterfeit toothpaste and will take "appropriate compliance and enforcement action," if necessary.
I hope too, that there is an effort to inform consumers who may have already bought the toothpaste to check it. Though the spelling errors were on the cardboard packaging and not on the tube itself, the tube is a 100ml size, a size not normally sold in Canada.
Since this morning, I've done two radio spots, and have two TV interviews coming up. I've seen the story reprinted online on several smaller sites, as well as on CTV.
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Comments
I have a serious time believing that only 1440 tubes of this stuff came to Canada.
What are the odds that a blogger who has been closely following the tainted Chinese product story, would walk into a random dollar store and just happen to get one of these tubes?
Good job Steve.
Posted by: mecheng at June 19, 2007 09:58 AM
Hmmm ... I guess the MSM took some time out from dumping on the Conservatives to actually report something of significance ... albeit several weeks after the fact.
Posted by: Brian at June 19, 2007 11:59 AM
Saw you on CFTO News this evening. Hit the Big Time. Good job!
Posted by: john at June 19, 2007 06:02 PM
*
Steve, there's more...
"Just in the last month, a ghoulish fake eyeball toy made in China was recalled after it was found to be filled with kerosene."
*
Posted by: neo at June 19, 2007 07:03 PM
Good work, Steve!
Thanks for not being a wimp and for being a genuine investigative reporter, a thing of the past, it seems, when it comes to our lib-left I'm-waiting-for-a-story-to-land-in-my-lap media sloths.
Yesterday, I saw a huge bin of CREST toothpaste in a discount food store where I live. I was in a rush, so didn't look closely, but am going to go back today to see what's up. 'Walked right by a bin of deeply discounted cans of mandarin oranges, after I read the price card which said "Product of China."
I think you've just uncovered the tiniest tip of the iceberg, Steve. So, there's no going back and Health Canada had better get going.
Sloths and wimp everywhere, it seems. The Canadian Disease.
Posted by: 'been around the block at June 20, 2007 06:28 AM
How silly of us to believe and expect all products our government allows into this country for our use are pure and safe!
They're so damned stupid when it comes to life-saving drugs approved in the US. They refuse to allow them in without lengthy testing of their own. Total idiocy. All this at the same time they allow dangerous products from China, haven for the Loopy Left like Mo Strong and friends.
The Conservative government has had enough time to look into our trade with Commie China. Trust them at our peril. Time to do a clean sweep.
We do not need foodstuffs or personal products from that junk hole.
It's quite serious, some pets were sickened and some died from bad products in pet food from that place.
Do some humans have to die before we get action?
Wonder if Chretien and Martin and Mo are using any of the products from their favorite place to do business?
Posted by: Libby at June 20, 2007 07:26 AM
Foxnews is onto the story now:
hhttp://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,284794,00.html
Posted by: tomax7 at June 20, 2007 09:52 AM
I never buy colgate, but still very useful information. There are lots of other counterfeit stuff, how can we find them out?
Posted by: degree at June 21, 2007 03:32 PM
 
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