The Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) has today been recognized by winning a global award for its work in consumer protection, especially through cross border cooperation with other national and regional enforcement agencies.
The award, which is contest-based at global level and is co-organized by International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) and the World Bank, is aimed to showcase good practices in implementation, enforcement, and compliance matters regarding consumer protection.
In 2023, CFTC received a complaint from a consumer in Lilongwe alleging that there were pieces of glass in a detergent paste which inflicted cuts in her hands during washing. Upon receipt of the complaint, CFTC conducted market inspections and found two other shops selling the said products which also had glass particles inside.
CFTC engaged the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) to conduct tests on the product which revealed that the product had some material defect and that it indeed contained glass particles.
Considering the cross border presence of the manufacturer, CFTC engaged COMESA Competition Commission (CCC) and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission of Zambia (CCPC) to facilitate a broader and effective cross border redress. CFTC has longstanding cooperation agreements with CCC and CCPC.
Through the collaborative investigations, it was found that the said products, particularly under the same batch, had also been supplied to other countries including Zambia and Zimbabwe.
CFTC, CCC and CCPC ordered the manufacturer to recall the said products from the market, not just from the markets where the products had been found, but from all the countries where the products had been supplied to. The manufacturer also provided remedial measures to the complainant.
This is the third time that CFTC has received an international award for its outstanding work in competition enforcement and consumer protection. Earlier, in two consecutive years, 2015 and 2016, the World Bank Group, in conjunction with the International Competition Network, awarded CFTC for its innovative advocacy strategies in the promotion of competition in emerging markets.
For media enquiries on this statement, contact Innocent Helema on +265 880 725 075 or email innocent.helema@cftc.mw.
Lloyds Vincent Nkhoma
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR