The ManicaPost
Barnabas Masamvu
Know Your Rights
CONSUMERS can only exercise their right to choose if there are alternatives.
Having many suppliers providing the same product brings healthy competition, which is good to the consumers.
The competition will lead to the production of high quality goods offered at competitive prices.
Section 19 of the Consumer Protection Act clearly states that no supplier, as a condition of offering to supply any goods or services, or as a condition of entering into an agreement or transaction, shall require that a consumer purchases any other particular goods or services from that supplier.
A consumer should only buy products they would have planned to purchase.
It is very unfair and illegal for businesses to ask consumers who will be making purchases in cash to take products that give a round figure total to avoid giving them change.
For instance, for a product priced at US$2.10, a consumer is often asked to look for other items to bring it to a total of US$3, instead of just giving them 90 cents as change in local currency.
Therefore according to the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, the 90c purchase is unplanned and illegal.
Also, no supplier shall require that a consumer enters into an additional agreement or transaction with the same supplier or a designated third party.
For instance, there are gas tanks where a consumer can only fill up by returning the empty tank in exchange of a filled one to a specific supplier.
This suffocates the consumer’s right to select suppliers.
No supplier, as a condition of offering to supply any goods or services, shall require that a consumer agrees to purchase any particular goods or services from a designated third party, unless the supplier can show that the conveniences to the consumer in having those goods or services bundled outweighs the limitation of the consumers’ right to choice, or can show that the bundling of those goods or service result in economic benefit for consumers.
Consumers should continuously get knowledge and understanding of the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act for them to enjoy their rights.
For information contact: Masamvu B 0712 785 866, Zisengwe R 0772 659 405.
