Checkers Withdraws Private Label Chicken Product Following Consumer Weight and Labeling Discrepancy Claims

Shoprite subsidiary Checkers pulls smokey chicken packs after customers reveal sauce weights exceed meat content, sparking a labeling compliance review.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 12, 2026, 6:10 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from BusinessTech

A Social Media Exposure of Product Ratios

The withdrawal of a staple private label product marks a swift response by Checkers to a viral consumer complaint regarding its 500g Ready to Braai Smokey Stuffed Chicken Breast. A customer, utilizing the Sixty60 delivery service, documented a significant discrepancy between the advertised chicken content and the physical weight of the product upon delivery. After conducting an independent measurement, the shopper discovered that the package contained only 49% chicken, falling notably short of the 62% figure displayed on the official packaging.

The Regulatory Framework of Food Labeling

The controversy has brought South Africa’s Regulation 26 of the Labeling and Advertising of Foodstuffs, known as R146, into the public spotlight. Under these legal standards, retailers are required to adhere to Quantitative Ingredient Declaration rules, which mandate that the percentage of a primary ingredient be clearly and accurately disclosed. According to the customer's social media assessment, the high volume of liquid marinade—weighing 264 grams compared to 246 grams of chicken—potentially violates these transparency requirements, which are designed to prevent deceptive marketing practices.

Manufacturing Errors and Quality Control Failures

In response to the growing public scrutiny, parent company Shoprite Holdings confirmed that an internal investigation by its supplier identified a specific production processing error. The retailer explained that the Smokey Stuffed Chicken Breast is portioned through a manual cutting process, which led to smaller chicken portions being inadvertently included in certain batches. While the company stated it could not verify the exact number of units affected, it has initiated corrective measures to tighten oversight at its manufacturing facilities to prevent a recurrence of the imbalance.