…emphasizes on price fixing, consumer right to return
The Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) has this week ended its three-week sensitization campaign across the country emphasizing on price fixing among members of trade association and consumer’s right to return defective goods. Speaking during a sensitization workshop in Liwonde, Machinga on Monday this week, CFTC Executive Director Lloyds Vincent Nkhoma said the Competition and Fair Trading Act (CFTA) prohibits trade associations from agreeing on a price or on any terms.
“It is a violation of the CFTA for a trade association to make recommendations to members which relate to prices, or any terms of sale including discounts, credit, delivery, and product and service guarantee,” said Nkhoma. CFTC made a presentation on competition and consumer protection in Malawi. Among others, the presentation tackled issues such as unfair trading practices.
The Commission emphasized that it was a violation of the CFTA to deny consumers their right to return defective goods. “Terms such as goods once purchased are not returnable are a violation of the CFTA,” said Nkhoma. After the Liwonde meeting, CFTC had another meeting at Makawa in Mangochi and later at Ntaja in Machinga.
Earlier, the Commission had similar meetings in Chitipa, Karonga, Nsanje, Chikwawa, Mchinji, Thyolo, Mulanje and Kasungu.
