Charges have been filed against 4 prominent traders involved in the Homes‑CARE and Farms‑ CARE initiatives in the Western Division by the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission for contravening provisions of the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission Act 2010.
The Commission says that the traders have been charged for selling price‑controlled item at excessive price and failure to mark prices on certain items.
They say that is was noted that a trader involved under the Farms‑CARE initiative was selling an item which is under price control at a price exceeding the maximum retail price set by the Commission.
It was further noted that the traders involved under the Homes‑CARE initiative were displaying for sale items which consumers could purchase under the initiative, which did not have the prices marked or displayed.
The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission says that the team which was in the Western Division last week undertook ground inspections and also spoke with numerous recipients of the Homes‑CARE and Farms‑CARE initiative in Sigatoka, Nadi, Lautoka, Ba, Tavua and Rakiraki in order to ascertain some of the unethical practices of the businesses involved under these initiatives.
The Commission says that traders were notified that their actions will have severe repercussions.
The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission team has undertaken investigations in the Northern Division as well and preliminary findings indicate that whilst some of the traders have increased prices of items to be sold under the initiative a handful of others are involved in two‑tier pricing.
The Commission also noted that some consumers have approached the team and highlighted that a number of traders tend to change prices of items on a daily basis.
They say that they are working on all the issues pertaining to the Homes ‑CARE and Farms‑CARE initiatives and more charges are expected to be laid soon against some unscrupulous traders for contravening provisions of the FCCC Act 2010.
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