Consumer Council heightens surveillance during Back-to-School shopping

As parents are out in number for back-to-school shopping, the Consumer Council of Fiji has heightened its market surveillance to ensure ethical trading practices.

The Consumer Council says in the previous years one of the most persistent complaints is the practice of exclusive dealing, where schools require parents to purchase uniforms from a designated shop at a fixed price.

Consumer Council CEO Seema Shandil says this practice is illegal under the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission Act, as it denies parents the opportunity to compare prices and find better deals.

Shandil is reminding schools and traders that they cannot enter into agreements for the exclusive sale of uniforms.

She says parents are encouraged to shop around to secure the best value for their hard-earned money.

Meanwhile, conditional selling was also reported, and this involves requiring customers to purchase additional items or services alongside essential products like uniforms, shoes or backpacks.

The CEO says that such practices lead to unnecessary expenses for families and infringement on consumers' rights to choose freely with parents having the right to make informed choices without feeling pressured into unnecessary spending.

Shandil adds that Fijians should report any unfair practices.