The 28 agents of the Competition department, consumption, fraud prevention and metrology of the new Economy Department, employment, work and solidarity (DEETS) have worked in more than 2000 production companies, import, big, distribution and service provision in 2020. 350 samples were taken upon importation and at all stages of sale on food and non-food products, 32 alerts resulted in the withdrawal of defective and/or dangerous products for consumers (electrical products, toys, cosmetics, products containing sesame seeds, fruit pulp, sucre, soy sauce…). Of the 2,000 checks, 20% resulted in corrective measures and 7% in litigation. 135 reports were drawn up. Some contentious files go to court, most procedures are handled by criminal or administrative fines ranging from a few hundred to several tens of thousands of euros. Among the frauds punished, there are billing defects, late payments, illicit occupations of the public domain… Several cases of food fraud concerned Malagasy vanilla advertised as Reunionese, or pods with excessive humidity levels and very low vanillin contents, markers of bad practices. Batches have been seized and this drift is the subject of investigations.
