Government intensifies move to protect consumers

GOVERNMENT has intensified its move to protect consumers against unfair business practices, which has seen the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) being empowered by legal effect to arrest and prosecute offenders.

CPC operates as an implementation mechanism of the Consumer Protection Act in line with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce mandate.

Pursuant to that, the Commission is mandated to protect the consumers, regulate the accreditation of consumer protection advocacy groups, conduct alternative dispute resolution and promote consumer awareness in collaboration with the requisite line ministries, Government departments, institutions and advocacy groups.

Responding to questions sent to him by the Business Chronicle, CPC research and public affairs manager Mr Kudakwashe Mudereri said: “In order to give legal effect to CPC and empower the Commission a Statutory body created by Act to enforce provisions of the Act, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Hon Dr Sekai Nzenza gazetted the Consumer Protection Regulations in line with Section 91 of the Consumer Protection Act”.

Consumer Protection Act

“Regulations providing for all matters which by this Act are required or permitted to be prescribed or which in his or her opinion, are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act,” reads Section 19 of the Consumer Protection Act.

“These Regulations will help the CPC to deliver on its mandate and bring sanity to the market.”

Meanwhile, the Commission has issued several compliance notices on businesses found in non-compliance with the provisions of the Act and has as well penalised several businesses through prosecutions.

Mr Mudereri said continued defaulters risk suspension of their trade licences and eventually revocation of the trade licence.

He said the Commission conducted some blitz operations in some of the provinces where about 126 were found to be non-compliant to the Act and were penalised.

“The Commission conducted some blitz operations in Mashonaland West province’s capital Chinhoyi and found 14 businesses in non-compliance with certain provisions of the Act.

“In Mashonaland Central, Bindura and Shamva were visited and nine businesses were penalised. In the Midlands province it was Gweru City where checks were conducted and five businesses were found in non-compliance,” he said.

“In Matabeleland North, Victoria Falls and Hwange were checked and a total of 19 businesses were fined.

“Bulawayo as well was checked and a total five businesses were found to be in non-compliance. Harare Province had a total of 74 businesses that were prosecuted.”

Mr Mudereri said the most prevalent violations include displaying of disclaimer notices such as No Return, No Refunds and No Exchange, offering to sell expired products, failure to give a warranty on products, failure to display prices on goods and services, failure to provide product labelling among others.

He said among the penalised businesses, some have been made to pay fines while others have been taken to court.

Under the Consumer Protection Act, unscrupulous businesspeople that engage in unfair practices that include multi-tier pricing, fraudulent offers, failure to label products properly and the disclosure of consumers’ personal information to third parties are liable for prosecution.

Consumers are now entitled to be fully refunded for defective or sub-standard goods and can individually approach the courts for redress or refer their complaints to the Consumer Protection Commission set up by the new Act. — chronicle