CAA to be extra vigilant during festive season

Irangika Range

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) special flying squad established to protect consumers from errant traders who fleece consumers during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season has raided over 2,000 shops so far.

Co-operative and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando told the Daily News the CAA has earned Rs.5.4 million from fines imposed by Courts on errant traders.

He said these errant traders were arrested during sudden raids conducted across the country by the special flying squad during the past few weeks. "The traders had breached Act No 9 of 2003 laws and regulations and suspects will be produced before Court shortly," he said.

The Minister said unlike in the previous year where massive amounts of food unfit for human consumption was detected, this year it was less. Fernando said due to the CAA vigilance consumers can buy quality items from the open market.

He also said the CAA has been instructed to be extra vigilant to nab traders who attempt to fleece consumers during the festive season by hoarding food stuffs, jacking up prices of essential items and also selling consumer items minus manufacturer details and expiry dates etc.

The CAA has received complaints from consumers on a regular basis about hoarding and concealing good, selling goods unsuitable for consumption, underweight goods, selling above the controlled price not displaying retail prices, storing goods without proper standards, and selling expired products.

"Therefore, we have decided to continue raids during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season," he said.