Supermarkets and department stores accelerated moves to withdraw Snow Brand Food Co. products from the shelves of their stores Thursday, a day after the meat packer admitted a mad cow disease subsidy swindle.
Among those who pulled Snow Brand Food products are nationwide supermarket chains of Ito-Yokado Co., Seiyu Ltd. and Life Corp. as well as Tokyu Department Store Co.
Some of them shut out all Snow Brand Food products, while others withdrew some products or decided not to renew orders.
Smaller, regional supermarket chains also joined the rush.
"The strong consumer backlash prompted us to decide on the withdrawal of Snow Brand Food products," an official at Ito-Yokado said.
The Snow Brand group had its products pulled from store shelves last year, too, when some 200 people became ill and one person died after drinking contaminated Snow Brand milk products.