CCPC CONSUMER ADVICE CORNER
Greetings CCPC
Kindly help me with laws that govern the display of prices for goods on sale. It seems to me like most traders in Lusaka do not display prices; they need to be taken to task. Some traders have taken advantage of this situation to charge more than the actual prices of goods and services. – NC
Dear NC
Thank you for writing to us. There is no law as of now that compels traders to display prices of goods and services under the Competition and Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) No. 24 of 2010. There is no wrongdoing by traders if they do not display prices of goods and services but if they display, they must not charge a consumer more than the price indicated.
You will find that a product is clearly labelled K 20 but, when you approach the counter to make payment you are told it is actually K 20.50, this is wrong and violates the CCPA and this is where we come in.
As a consumer, you have a right to question the trader for redress and if this fails you can visit any of our offices to formally lodge a complaint against such a trader.
It is unfortunate, that some traders are allegedly charging more than the actual price of goods and services displayed hence, we urge consumers to give full information which is treated as strictly confidential for us to quickly establish facts and carryout investigations. We would like to advise such traders to desist from such practice as it is unfair trading which attracts serious implications if found wanting.
We would like to reiterate that even though it is at the discretion of the trader to either or not display product prices, there is no justification for a trader to excessively charge a consumer.
There is no harm for consumers to check for prices and ask verbally the traders, in this way it will be easy to compare while you shop around to determine the most affordable goods and services before making a final purchasing decision, a shopping list would come in handy so that prices are counterchecked.
It is for this reason that we have prioritised information dissemination and an open door policy so that consumers are equipped with the correct information to guard themselves against consumer related violations.
We encourage traders to resolve consumer issues even before they reach the commission for appropriate action as this is good for their business growth and it benefits both the trader and consumers.
For any other queries and concerns, feel free to report any to us on the details below.
Please e-mail us on: zcomp@ccpc.org.zm, h.chaaba@ccpc.org.zm.
Visit our Facebook page:www.facebook.com/Competition-and-Consumer- Protection –Commission-Zambia or Follow us on Twitter @ CompComZambia. We are at 4th Floor Main Post Office Building, P.O. Box 34919, Lusaka. Telephone: 222775/222787, Toll-Free line: 5678 across all mobile phone networks.