CAA to take strict action if prices not displayed

By Shezna Shums

The Consumer Affairs Authority is to come down hard on errant traders, shops and companies advertising goods and services without their prices on public display.

Speaking to Daily FT yesterday (18) Consumer Affairs Authority sources said, tough action would be taken in this respect and more officers would be employed by the CAA to monitor all print, electronic, radio, internet and other modes of communication where advertising takes place.

The CAA comes under the purview of the Ministry of Internal Trade and Cooperatives and Minister Johnston Fernando had yesterday (18) instructed Chairman, CAA, Rumy Marzook to step up efforts to seek out and take action against people and companies advertising goods and services without mentioning their prices.

Under these regulations all goods and services advertised in the print media, electronic media, radio, billboards, internet and others, have to state the cost of the product or service advertised or displayed.

Meanwhile a special unit will also be set up by the CAA where daily monitoring of all types of advertising will be done by the officers in order to find the people who are not abiding by these regulations.

The Ministry enforces these regulations to stop the public being cheated, when products and services are advertised without their prices being displayed. Such a situation will also compel customers to spend their money to find out the cost of the goods and services, whereas if the prices are on display this will save the public time and effort and will also allow them to decide if they can afford to purchase the product or service advertised.

According to the Ministry of Internal Trade and Cooperative once its officers return after the New Year holidays, more officers will be engaged to monitor advertisements in the media to ensure that the prices of goods and services are displayed.

The Ministry of Internal Trade and Cooperatives also highlighted that a total of 13,000 vendors have been apprehended for carrying out illegal or unethical dealings, in violation of the Consumers’ Act of Sri Lanka.

These vendors have also been fined by the CAA for cheating the public by way of overpricing their goods, hoarding items, selling outdated goods and carrying out other unethical practices.