Issues Arise at Korea's Largest Pet Expo
Certain Vendors Distribute Expired Samples from September 2
Organizers Also Receive Reports... Investigating Problematic Manufacturers
Lee Eun-young (pseudonym), who lives in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, experienced an unpleasant incident after attending '2023 Mega Zoo Ilsan,' the largest domestic pet industry expo held at KINTEX in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province from the 17th to the 19th. She later discovered that the dog treat samples she received from one of the participating companies had long expired. One of the samples she received had an expiration date of September 2nd. Products that were more than two months past their expiration date were openly distributed to attendees. Lee said, "There were so many samples received here and there at the expo that I couldn't check if any were expired," adding, "I'm very upset that they provided samples without checking the dates, especially since these are foods for dogs."
Ms. Lee Eun-young (alias) received a free sample of dog treats from an exhibitor at '2023 Mega Zoo Ilsan,' the largest pet industry expo in Korea, held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province from the 17th to the 19th. The product's expiration date was September 2nd, meaning the expired product, over two months past its date, was given to visitors. [Photo by Reader]
According to Asia Economy's coverage on the 27th, multiple visitors reported similar experiences to Lee at this year's Mega Zoo Ilsan. Related reports have also been submitted to an online community for pet owners. Another visitor expressed frustration, saying, "I already fed my dog a similar sample but only later realized it was expired." They added, "There was even a case posted on a social networking service (SNS) where products with an expiration date until August were distributed," pointing out that "the issue of expired food being openly handed out as free samples at other pet expos is a widespread problem."
This year's Mega Zoo Ilsan event was hosted by the Korea Pet Food Association and organized by Messe Isang. Over 700 companies specializing in pet food such as dog food and treats, clothing, bathing and hygiene products, pet electronics and healthcare devices, pet insurance, and pet-friendly travel set up 2,000 booths to welcome visitors. This was the largest scale ever, surpassing last year's expo held during the same period, which had 607 companies and 1,335 booths. The number of visitors also far exceeded last year's approximately 55,000, with over 50,000 pre-registrations alone.
The organizers are currently receiving reports and conducting investigations regarding the issue, but have not yet identified the company responsible. The shape and ingredients of the treat samples distributed for free are similar to those used by several manufacturers, and the packaging does not contain any information that would specify a particular brand. A representative from the organizers stated, "It seems that some products that should have been discarded were mistakenly included during the busy preparation process by participating companies," and added, "We will take visitors' inquiries seriously and conduct a thorough investigation."
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