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Display price list or face jail, CAA chief warns food sellers
Shop owners and eating house operators including those who run canteens have been ordered to display a price list of items on sale or risk heavy fines and jail terms upto six months, Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Chairman Rumy Marzook said yesterday.
He said that in terms of a new regulation, prices of food items — from bakery products to hoppers, string hoppers and beverages such as cool drinks, processed fruit drinks, tea, milk tea, coffee and milk coffee — should be clearly marked on a price list which should be displayed prominently.
The new regulation comes into immediate effect and CAA officials would make random checks on shops and eating houses, the CAA chief said. He added that those who defied this order would be prosecuted and the offence carried a fine of Rs. 10,000 and a six-month jail term while in the case of a company or larger establishment, the fine would be Rs. 100,000.
The CAA has also launched an advertising campaign in the media to warn traders and inform the public about the new regulation.
Mr. Marzook said a special task force would also be set up to carry out raids during and after the forthcoming National New Year period since during such festive period unscrupulous traders were known to exceed the mandated price lists.
Apart from this, traders have also been notified on the price reduction of 13 other essential consumer items following the relief provided in the interim budget of the new Government.
“Many traders and entrepreneurs have failed to slash the prices of the food items as mentioned in the interim budget. Therefore a gazette notification will be drafted at the very earliest through the relevant ministry to make price reduction mandatory,” Mr. Marzook said.
The interim budget was aimed at providing relief to the consumer but this had not been the case because of the attitude of traders, he said.
If a trader does not comply with the new regulation, the general public has also been requested to complain to the CAA on hot lines 3134446-8, 7755481-3.