The Consumer Council is focusing on enhancing its engagement with local communities to strengthen its advocacy initiatives, particularly in combating unethical business practices.

Chief Executive Seema Shandil states that by working closely with communities, the Council aims to raise awareness and educate consumers, empowering them to recognize and avoid deceptive traders.

She adds that this year, they have received numerous complaints from customers regarding scams, including the recruitment of individuals through online sites.
Shandil says that despite the extensive efforts in imparting information and issuing alerts to consumers, people continue to fall victim to unethical business practices.

“We conduct a lot of investigations. We conduct a lot of research before we disseminate information. So, we feel that the major challenge is changing the mindset of the people. Once people start to trust what the Consumer Council disseminates as alerts or awareness-raising information, we believe we can resolve many issues.”

She adds that there has been a surge in fraudulent activities as more people turn to online marketplaces for convenience.

Suva Retailers Association President, Jitesh Patel, says that to ensure consumer protection, they are strictly adhering to their business registration procedures.

“So that when we do our registration for our members, they are all compliant. Scams may not be very prevalent these days, but we understand the risks. Therefore, we encourage consumers to be vigilant, verify the existence of a business, and make sure to check before making any payments.”

Patel stresses the importance of consumer education and emphasizes that they are working closely with the Consumer Council of Fiji and other relevant stakeholders.