The destruction of empty alcoholic beverage bottles is not an optional practice for established hotels and restaurants, but a legal obligation linked to tax and health controls overseen by authorities, including the Ministry of Finance, stated Eduardo Bujaidar Muñoz, president of the Mexican Association of Hotels and Motels in León.
Given the concern generated by recent cases of adulterated beverages in Guanajuato, the industry representative explained that formal businesses are required to comply with a series of measures to guarantee product traceability, including checking labels, purchasing merchandise from authorized suppliers, and destroying containers after use.
“What we have to do is not keep empty bottles, but rather break them once the beverage has been consumed,” he explained.
Bujaidar Muñoz emphasized that this regulation is part of the control mechanisms aimed at preventing containers from being reused to introduce beverages of unknown origin or adulterated beverages into the market. “It’s not something we do because we want to; it’s the law,” he stated.
The businessman pointed out that regulated establishments are aware of these obligations because tax authorities require that the labels and information on the bottles match the official purchase and distribution documentation.
He also indicated that hotels and restaurants have internal procedures to guarantee the authenticity of the products that reach their bars and dining areas. “All hotels and restaurants have trusted suppliers, and these suppliers handle quality products under all the strict regulations required by the authorities,” he noted.
He added that within the companies, there are departments responsible for continuously monitoring the quality of supplies and verifying that the products meet all legal requirements before being offered to customers.
“There are also protocols in each of the companies; we have purchasing departments and people who are attentive to all aspects of quality and service,” he commented. The president of the Mexican Association of Hotels and Motels believes that cases of adulterated beverages typically occur outside of formal establishments, where there is less oversight regarding the origin of products.
“People need to understand that established restaurants and bars offer a guarantee of trust,” he stated.
He also acknowledged that incidents like those recently reported generate concern among both consumers and business owners in the tourism and restaurant sectors. “A case like the one in Salamanca creates a great deal of noise and worry,” he expressed.
Bujaidar Muñoz pointed out that one of the main risks lies in the informal sale of alcoholic beverages, where tax, health, and traceability controls are often nonexistent or insufficient.
“That is why it is so important to consume alcohol in established, safe, and regulated establishments, and also to purchase it from regulated businesses,” he affirmed.
Bujaidar Muñoz warned that trying to reduce costs by buying products of dubious origin can lead to serious health consequences. “Sometimes, in order to save a certain amount, the consequences are not considered, and today we see that it is a very delicate issue that worries us.”
Source: msn
