CAA earns Rs 58.5 m from raids

Irangika RANGE

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has earned over Rs. 58.5 million through fines in island-wide raids conducted from January to date.

Co-operatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando said that the CAA investigation officers conducted over 22,875 raids on deceptive and unfair trade practices by errant traders during the period.

A bulk of the fines was imposed on traders for failing to display prices, selling products over the maximum retail price, sale of expired products, non issuance of the guarantees, not displaying prices of items advertised through electronic and print media and hoardings and selling goods under conditions.

Meanwhile, the CAA had conducted 11,432 raids last year and earned Rs.29.5 million as fines from errant traders.

The minister said raids conducted by the CAA had been increased by 200 percent while the fines collected from errant traders were increased by 198 percent this year compared to last year.

Islandwide raids have been intensified by the CAA and will be continued to apprehend errant traders who engage in unfair trade practices.