Any Anti-consumers activity? Consumers should take the lead!

In our consumer page we will be diverting our attention on frequently asked questions by the public during the festive season. It is obvious that during the season the prices of some consumer articles will go up and some will go down. The prices will go up proportionately to the demand.

On the other hand, when there are more and more consumer articles and producers the prices are bound to go down. Today many cheap consumer items are imported mainly from China, Taiwan, Malaysia and a few other countries. This is because there is a free economy.

There are dangers behind the free economy. Our country has become a dumping yard for cheap and discarded consumer items. Due to bilateral, multilateral agreements in the free economy, we have little control over imports. Due to free imports the prices of textiles have been slashed.

On the other hand, this has affected the local industry and local industrialists. We are self sufficient in rice. We can further bring the price down by freely importing more rice and more paddy, but we do not do it to help the local farmer.

This indicates the price fluctuation and the reason behind it. The Government has reduced and brought down customs duty for many items expecting the benefits to go down to the consumers.

We understand that the traders have not respected the expectations of the Government. Therefore, the Consumer Affairs Authority will be going after the errant traders and importers in due course to make sure that the consumer gets their due share.

The Consumer Affairs Authority will take steps against these unscrupulous and unreasonable traders who engaged in anti consumer activities by activating the regulatory procedure.

We invite the consumers to inform the Authority on excessive prices requesting Act Section 19 & 22 to refer the matters to the Consumer Affairs Council (CAC) which has the power and is mandated to take appropriate action.

The consumers are concerned about the agreements and guarantees on non-perishable goods and the quality and the standard of perishable goods specially during the festive season.

Please note that there is an un-written guarantee on the sale of any goods under the Act which has to be specified in writing by the trader.

If the agreement is not in a language that cannot be understood or not legible or if it is unreasonable, you have a place to go to. If outdated food are being sold you have a place to go to. If you do not exercise this right you may not blame either the Government or the Consumer Affairs Authority.

We have continuously liaised with the public with our mandate and contact details. Our net work of officers are active, day and night, and the weekends. Tel No. 1919 is active from 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. every day which has given access to consumers.

We are busy during these days checking errant traders and those who are engage in anti consumer activities. Our mandate and target is to provide the consumer healthy food, consumer articles of the highest quality at a reasonable price and also services at affordable prices.

Those who are not satisfied with the services rendered, the prices, the quality and the quantity please communicate with us. We are ever ready to help you all the time on the following numbers.

We have provided facilities to e-mail, text browse a net and also person to call over at our office for me to receive immediate attention on the spot. We also take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Thai Pongal.

Sarath WIJESINGHE, Chairman, Consumer Affairs Authority