Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis implementasi penegakan hukum terhadap perdagangan pangan kedaluwarsa serta faktor-faktor yang menghambat penegakan hukum tersebut di kota tarakan. kota tarakan, yang terletak di kalimantan utara, memiliki posisi strategis sebagai jalur perdagangan antara indonesia dan malaysia. namun, tingginya permintaan pangan dan lemahnya pengawasan menyebabkan banyak produk pangan kedaluwarsa beredar di pasaran, yang berpotensi membahayakan kesehatan masyarakat. penelitian ini menggunakan metode empiris dengan pengumpulan data melalui wawancara dan observasi di lapangan. hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa implementasi penegakan hukum terhadap perdagangan pangan kedaluwarsa di kota tarakan belum optimal. meskipun badan pengawas obat dan makanan (bpom) dan kepolisian telah melakukan pengawasan, keterbatasan sumber daya dan rendahnya kesadaran hukum pelaku usaha menjadi kendala utama. selain itu, faktor ekonomi dan kurangnya edukasi hukum juga berkontribusi terhadap masalah ini. penelitian ini diharapkan dapat memberikan kontribusi dalam pengembangan hukum dan perlindungan konsumen di indonesia, khususnya dalam konteks perdagangan pangan kata kunci : penegakan hukum, perdagangan, pangan, pangan kedaluwarsa, perlindungan konsumen.

This study aimed to analyze the implementation of law enforcement against expired food trade and to identify the key factors hindering law enforcement in tarakan city. this city is located in north kalimantan, a region with a strategic position as a trade route between indonesia and malaysia. however, the combination of high food demand and weak regulatory supervision has led to the circulation of expired food products in the market, posing a serious threat to public health. employing an empirical legal research method, data were gathered through interviews and field observations. the findings revealed that law enforcement efforts by the food and drug supervisory agency (bpom) and the police remained suboptimal. key barriers included limited institutional resources, low legal awareness among business actors, and minimal legal education among stakeholders. economic pressures also influenced traders to continue distributing expired products. this study contributed to strengthening legal frameworks and consumer protection mechanisms in indonesia, particularly within the context of food safety and trade regulation. keywords: law enforcement, food trade, expired food, consumer protection.