Price shouldn't be an indicator of reliability. The main problem is that some rounds would be loaded light and not operate the ejector, but this is quality control.
As a taxpayer I heartily approve of providing these fine soldiers with all the ammo they can use. No questions asked, no invoices to process.
Socialized medicine, manufacturing out the window, rampant and unaddressed crime in the streets combined with defensive weapons confiscation... Hong Kong - let's not even go there. Now this on top of everything else. Wonder what Churchill would say...
The worst part is that one scratches one's head and ponders whether or not the US is headed down the same road in years to come.
As a Vietnam veteran, I recall another "cheap" instrument of war...the M16...nothing but the best for our troops and evidently theirs..
Meadow Muffin
I wouldn't expect ammo made in the Czech republic to have quality control issues.
They should specify exactly what company manufactured this ammo, but being a British media outlet they probably think that only the military and government need to be concerned about buying reliable ammo.
I would be willing to bet that even the rounds that do fire follow different trajectories and their ability to hit something is not what it should be.
Possible problems:
Wrong powder - someone may have elected to use what was on hand rather than the powder specified. Bad shooting.
Inaccurate powder measure - Probably the problem. Bullets going all over the place.
Could be some old surplus powder that they thought might work.
Bad primers.
Inaccurate bullet seating.
These may be handloaded rounds and they could be highly variable.