ENQUIRY INTO FUNERAL SERVICES MARKET

The Competition and Fair Trading Commission is a Government agency established under the Competition and Fair Trading Act, and is mandated to regulate, monitor, control and prevent acts or behaviour, which are likely to adversely affect competition and fair trading in Malawi.

Among other functions, the Commission, upon receiving a complaint or on its own volition, conducts market inquiries in order to detect, control and prevent anticompetitive and unfair trading practices.

It is against this background that the Commission wishes to undertake an enquiry into the funeral services market. The main objective of the enquiry  is to establish whether there are anticompetitive and unfair trading     practices or agreements in the funeral services market. As regards to the agreements, the Commission seeks to understand whether there are unilateral, collusive or vertical arrangements  that prevent, restrict or distort competition on the market. The enquiry will further seek to establish whether the arrangements that exist between insurance service providers and funeral service providers pose any competition and consumer rights concerns. Therefore, the Commission requests all market players, insurance companies, concerned agencies/institutions and the general public to participate in this market enquiry.

Apart from providing the information that is required in this enquiry, you may also take this opportunity to submit your complaints regarding any suspected anticompetitive or unfair trading conduct by enterprises or any person in the provision of funeral services in the country.   You can lodge your complaint by calling our Toll-Free Line 2489 or by completing a complaint form online on our website www.cftc.mw or our Facebook page.

Kindly take note that the information you are going to provide will be treated with the strictest confidentiality and will be used only for the purpose of this enquiry. In case you need clarifications or further details concerning any aspect of this enquiry; or you need to fill a questionnaire for this enquiry, please, contact Goldameir Marobe on +265 991 000 266 or email goldameir.marobe@cftc.mw.   

The Commission will be grateful to receive your information and complaints by Wednesday, 30th June, 2021.

Completed questionnaires and complaint forms should be sent to:

The Executive Director

Competition and Fair Trading Commission

Golden Peacock House -6th Floor, Off Presidential Way, City Centre

Private Bag 332

Lilongwe 3

Email: competitioncommission@cftc.mw

I thank you in advance for choosing to participate in this enquiry.

Apoche Itimu

ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR