Shania Shayal Prasad 
There has been an increase in cases of misleading advertisements, missing price tags, and the sale of expired or rotten products at various shops.
Consumer Council of Fiji Chief Executive, Seema Shandil says these issues were uncovered during their inspections for this Diwali festive season.
She adds last year, the council received 163 complaints related to Diwali shopping between October and November, with a total value exceeding $15,000.
Shandil says and this continues in 2024 and such unethical practices undermine consumer trust.
“That represents various concerns or a range of issues, such as price discrepancies, where consumers have reported inconsistencies between advertised prices and actual prices. Sometimes, what they see in advertisements may not be the actual price when they visit a particular retail shop.”
Shandil states that market surveillance is conducted to ensure compliance is maintained.
“They are currently engaged and will remain actively engaged every day, conducting market surveillances, responding to consumer complaints, and promptly visiting traders to ensure compliance with consumer protection standards.”
Shandil is also encouraging retailers to maintain transparency in pricing and product quality.
