COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: McDonald’s outlets across Sri Lanka shuttered their doors on Sunday following a legal dispute with its local franchise holder, Abans.
Allegations of subpar hygiene standards prompted the parent company to terminate its agreement with Abans, leading to court-ordered closures until April 4.
The Commercial High Court of Colombo intervened, mandating the shutdown pending further investigation into the matter.
McDonald’s representatives informed the court of the franchise termination, citing concerns over hygiene standards that failed to meet international norms.
Abans, the franchise holder operating 12 outlets since McDonald’s inception in Sri Lanka in 1998, is yet to issue a response. Notices outside the closed outlets offered no indication of potential reopening.
This legal tussle comes on the heels of recent disruptions in East Asia due to technical glitches, which left Sri Lanka’s McDonald’s stores unaffected.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the closure, the situation underscores the criticality of adherence to global standards, especially in the realm of food safety and hygiene. Further developments in the case are expected as the legal proceedings unfold in early April.
