Consumer Council seeks powers to name and shame 'rogue businesses'

The Consumer Council of Fiji wants powers to name and shame businesses that continuously engage in unethical practices against consumers.

Council chief executive officer Seema Shandil made the request during a parliamentary committee hearing on Thursday when asked what enforcement powers the council needed.

“Give us powers to name and shame the businesses who continuously engage in unethical practices,” Ms Shandil told the Standing Committee on Social Affairs.

She said the council faces challenges because consumers only know to approach them when problems arise, not the other agencies involved in resolving complaints.

“All consumers when there’s something wrong, they all turn to you and with these MOUs with these other partner agencies that you do have, when there’s delay in actions and there's delay in working with the complaint that you send them, these consumers, they don't know their partners they only know Consumer Council,” committee member Aliki Bia said.

Ms Shandil explained that certain rogue traders continuously engage in unethical services because they know they will not be taken to task.

“There are certain individuals who are tarnishing the name of the rest of the businesses,” she said.

“At least if we have those powers to go ahead to name and shame certain traders, our consumers will be aware that they should not be engaging in any sort of transaction or any business deal with these rogue traders.”

The council lacks direct enforcement powers and instead issues warning letters, relying on partner agencies like the Health Ministry and Commerce Commission to act against repeat offenders.

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