KALONDE NYATI, Lusaka
THE competition and consumer protection tribunal secretariat has handled about 85 appeal cases from October 2012 to date.
The tribunal is set up under the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry to ensure speedy and affordable settlements of competition and consumer disputes in Zambia.
Of the total, 20 were handled this year alone, competition and consumer protection tribunal head of secretariat Healey Mweemba said.
Mr Mweemba said 75 percent of the total cases were consumer-related appeals while 25 percent were competition in nature.
“Prominent among consumer appeal cases are those related to unfair trading practices arising from traders to shop owners falling in the tendency of displaying disclaimers purporting that ‘no refund or no return’ once products are sold,” he said.
Mr Mweemba said this at a press briefing yesterday.
He said the tribunal passed 12 judgments and it has continued to record an increase in the number of appeals owing to increased awareness about the existence of the tribunal.
Mr Mweemba has since called on the public to use the tribunal.
“As our economy continues to expand and foreign direct investment is increasing, there is no doubt that effective implementation of the competition and consumer protection law will continue to play an important regulatory function for the benefit of the business community and consumer,” he said.