Bula Vinaka shoppers, just this week, while standing in line at a retail store, I overheard a group of cashiers talking about the rising cost of goods. The four women shared the same concern: prices for everyday festive items such as cake mix, milk and fruits had all gone up.
Their view was blunt — with Christmas around the corner, some supermarkets were increasing prices of food by a dollar or more. Those concerns are backed by findings from the Consumer Council of Fiji (CCF).
CCF chief executive Seema Shandil recently revealed that the council conducted 1,014 inspections across supermarkets, retail shops, open markets, restaurants, bakeries and service providers to intensify festive surveillance and clam down on offenders.
They found serious breaches and the council is working with enforcement agencies, municipal councils and health authorities this festive period to ensure traders are treating shoppers with dignity and not exploiting them.
“The festive season should be a time of joy for families, not a time for exploitation,” Shandil said.
The council has been clear that fair pricing, honest advertising and safe, hygienic products are not optional — but legal obligations. Traders who deliberately disregard these standards risk enforcement action. Consumers are urged to be alert, and those facing unfair practices are encouraged to contact the National Consumer Helpline on 155 or reach out through the council’s social media pages.
As festive spending fuels marketplace activities, CCF says the need for vigilance and responsible trading has never been greater. Council officers are part of joint operations under the Price Monitoring and Enforcement Taskforce (PMET), and their findings are a cause for serious concern.
These inspections that started in August have formed part of a proactive approach to ensure fair pricing, regulatory compliance, food safety and transparent business practices ahead of the Christmas shopping rush.
Price control violations, missing price tags, misleading advertisements, the omission of VAT on receipts and exclusionary clauses buried in sales terms have been uncovered.
Several traders were found operating without mandatory licences, including Business Registration Certificates, Health Licences, Tobacco Licences and Liquor Licences. Food safety and hygiene concerns were among the most alarming discoveries.
Council officers found expired products, rotten or wilted produce, damaged packaging, dusty or dented cans, overcrowded freezers, ice build-up, and pest infestations — including flies and cockroaches — in our supermarkets and eateries. Some butcher areas and storage spaces required urgent cleaning, while certain pre-packed foods lacked proper labelling.
Restaurant eateries showed poor compliance, uncovered food, pest issues and improper waste management. Bakeries had uncovered bread, fly infestations and price control breaches.
Service stations displayed misleading advertisements, dusty shelves and missing price tags. In some beauty, massage services and barbershops, VAT was not reflected on receipts.
Expired and unsafe food items were removed immediately, defective products were taken off shelves, and misleading promotional displays were corrected on the spot.
Stern warnings were issued to non-compliant businesses, with many traders committing to rectify issues promptly.
More serious breaches were referred to the relevant authorities for further action.
The CCF findings indicate that while many traders are doing the right thing, there are still some who deliberately put consumers at risk through unethical and careless practices.
“We remind all traders that customers are not just transactions — they are the backbone of every business. Ethical conduct builds trust, loyalty and long-term growth.”
As shoppers, we all feel the pinch at this time of the year.
Christmas should not come with anxiety over unsafe food, hidden costs or unfair pricing.
It is a season built on goodwill and togetherness, and that responsibility does not rest on consumers alone.
Fair-minded traders, strong enforcement and informed shoppers must work together to ensure the joy of the festive season is not overshadowed by exploitation.
So when you are going about doing your Christmas shopping, be observant and act like a responsible shopper so you are not tricked by cunning traders.
The post TIMES SHOPPER | Don’t be exploited by traders this Christmas appeared first on The Fiji Times.
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