Consumer Council of Fiji
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Transcript of Consumer Council of Fiji
![Page 1: Consumer Council of Fiji](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062719/568130b2550346895d96c850/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Consumer Council of Fiji
Consumer rights and responsibilities. Safe, fair and just marketplace
Addressing Inequality and Promoting Inclusive and Sustainable Development, 2013 ODN Biennial Conference, 11th - 12th September 2013
Ms Premila KumarChief Executive
Officer
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Councils Role in Supporting the Poor in Fiji
• Consumer Council is there for all consumers but generally poor consumers come to the Council for assistance.
STRATEGIC PLAN
• “Council protects vulnerable groups such as rural poor, physically and mentally challenged, children and women by identifying and articulating the policy issues that are of importance to them.”
• Councils watchdog role ensures that unscrupulous traders do not exploit the poor and vulnerable consumers.
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UN Guideline on Consumer Protection
• Eight Consumer Rights forms the basis for the Councils work in consumer protection
• Right to basic needs- ie access to basic goods or services necessary for survival, such as food, water, energy, clothing, health care, education and sanitation
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International Bill of Human Rights: (Article 11 (1)
• The UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which is part of the International Bill of Human Rights, (Article 11 (1) :
“ to the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing, and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions )”.
• These are achievable through effective consumer protection legislation.
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Consumer policy
• Consumer Policy can contribute to:
– poverty eradication, – efficient markets, – good governance, and – promote human rights.
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Role of Consumer Council• Council provides the platform for poor and
disadvantage consumers to raise their concerns and seek justice.
• Council lessen isolation and helplessness faced by poor by providing access to information and representation.
• The Council focuses on empowerment, consumer legislation, representation and redress to assist the poor to improve their quality of lives and hold policy makers accountable for their actions
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Representation
• To effectively represent poor, we need to know the issues affecting them. – Complaints handling– Market surveillance– Research
• Information helps in advocacy particularly to develop new policies or when old policies are reviewed.
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Policy and Regulatory reform• Council regularly makes submissions
on behalf of poor consumers targeting areas where cost of living is high.
• Some examples of successful lobbying: price control for gas, reduction of e-ticketing card price and minimum top-up amount.
• Council’s submissions to Govt’s National Budget focuses on essential food items where price increases affects the poor consumers.
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Submission
• Water and sewerage reform submission to the Charter Committee
• Proposed increase in bus fares- Min of Transport• Removal of Price control – Is the Timing Appropriate?
- Prime Minister & Minister for Finance & Economic Planning
• School fees & levies imposed by schools • Gas Pricing
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Market Surveillance• Market surveillance keeps checks on
supermarkets and other retailers that poor people frequent .
• Supermarkets sold discounted substandard food items aimed at the poorer segment of consumers, e.g. cut fruits, expired food items
• Traders taken to task for unethical practices against Govt food voucher recipients
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Market Surveillance
• Protects the poor against unsafe/dangerous food items and products e.g. used cooking oil sold cheaply to poor consumers
• Market surveillance of small dairy/neighbourhood shops that often engage in unfair trade practices e.g. uncertified scales, improper measuring tools for kerosene
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Research, evidence-based advocacy
• Council uses research and evidence-based advocacy to improve the quality of life of poor consumers. Example: Hire Purchase Report, Money lending research,
• Regular price and product surveys e.g. monthly supermarket survey
• Price change of basic food and non-food items, 2006 to 2011
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Redress to Poor
• Poor consumers cannot afford to seek redress on their own accord thus rely on the Council to provide assistance
• Council’s conciliation role allows poor and disadvantaged consumers, to receive some form of remedy or relief.
• Small Claims Tribunal
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Debt Management and Consumer Advisory Services
• AusAID Project: “Consumer Financial Protection and Building Credit Competency for Vulnerable Groups”
• Provides financial advice and debt management to poor consumers who are facing problems with repayments or powerless to deal with powerful banks, hire purchase companies and credit institutions
• Service is free and targets poor consumers who can’t afford to pay for financial advice or lawyers
• Help to restructure loans.
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Consumer Empowerment• Consumer empowerment through
education, awareness, information dissemination is crucial when consumer protection laws are weak or absent
• Councils core activity > targeting local communities, the poor and vulnerable
• Outreach programme ensures that poor consumers are armed with knowledge and information to deal with unscrupulous traders and protect themselves from unfair trade practices
• Campaigns
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Conclusion
• Council plays an important role in enhancing accountability.
• We monitor implementation of policies and provide feedback on whether policies are working or not.