THE Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) is urging the public to exercise vigilance and caution as the cyclone season draws near and warns traders not to exploit the situation by engaging in price gouging or other unethical practices that could harm consumers during this critical period.
FCCC chief executive officer Senikavika Jiuta said it was an unfortunate reality that some traders may attempt to use times of crisis, like natural disasters, to engage in unethical and unconscionable conduct such as hoarding or price gouging.
“Our message to these traders is simple and straightforward – if you are found attempting to cheat consumers during a natural disaster, you will face the full brunt of the law,” Ms Jiuta said.
Ms Jiuta said FCCC will maintain a zero-tolerance policy for price gouging which includes any sudden or unjustifiable increases in the prices of crucial products like batteries, candles, bottled water and other essential items, as well as overcharging on items under price control.
“Our teams will also be actively conducting inspections and surveys to ensure and enforce compliance.
“We will also continue with our collaboration with the health inspectors from the various town and municipal councils to ensure food, health and safety standards are upheld, especially during Fiji’s cyclone season,” Ms Jiuta said.
She said these efforts are designed to ensure that businesses are adhering to all relevant regulations and are not selling expired or substandard products not safe for human consumption and the prices for essential items remain fair and accessible to everyone.
The FCCC is also calling on consumers to be proactive when shopping and to be aware of their consumer rights, verify that the price on the shelf matches with the prices at the checkout counter and to familiarise themselves with the refund and return policy or when purchasing battery-powered products like portable radios, flashlights, torches or lanterns, they must ensure to test the products before buying and check the expiry dates of canned or packaged food products and assess the quality of frozen products before making a purchase.
