CAA apprehends 600 errant traders

By Charumini de Silva

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has launched a special program to conduct countrywide raids on errant traders during the festive season which began on 1 December, a senior official said.

The main focus of the program would be to nab traders who jack up prices and mislead consumers during the festive season. 

“We started our raids last Saturday soon after the publication of the Gazette. Related to selling of identified goods above the maximum retailed price (MRP), we have conducted nearly 600 raids thus far and we hope to do about 3,000 raids by the end of this month,” CAA Director General A.K.D.D.D. Arandara told the Daily FT.

According to the Director General the CAA has conducted 143 raids on Saturday, 145 on Sunday, while the maximum was on Monday with 179 and 113 on Tuesday. 

“We have strengthened and given priority for raiding in order to implement the CAA Act fully and raid places where vendors violate the regulations and provisions of the Act.

The CAA will have an eye especially on all items traders who fleece consumers during the season while, traders who do not display price tags and sell goods at exorbitant prices will also be taken to task.

The CAA expects the revenue from raids this year to surpass last year’s figures as the number of errant traders has increased.

“We receive a large number of complaints about expired and inferior products after the festive season. Traders take consumers for a good ride during the year-end festive season to dispose of their products,” Arandara said. 

The Director General said consumers have complained that there should be more severe penalties for errant traders noting that the fine imposed on bogus traders is too lenient. 

Traders who do not display price tags, use fake weighing and measuring equipment, sell products over the stipulated price, mislead consumers, sell expired goods, erase prices and sell items without a warranty are fined at Magistrate’s Court.