By Jeremiah Mphande

Mzimba, March 16, Mana: The Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) has reiterated its commitment to ensuring fair pricing for all consumers in Malawi.

The commitment was reaffirmed on Saturday when Malawi joined the rest of the world in commemorating the World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) celebrations.

The celebrations, held under the theme ‘Fairness in Pricing for a Sustainable Future’, focused on the need for transparent and justifiable pricing in the market.

In an interview, CFTC Public Relations Officer Innocent Helema emphasized that the commission is working tirelessly to protect consumers from unfair trading practices.

Helema said: “We have been conducting inspections and market surveillance to identify and address unfair pricing. Investigations have been launched, and interim orders have been issued against businesses suspected of excessive pricing.”

He said the commission’s goal is to create a fair and sustainable marketplace where both consumers and businesses thrive.

According to Helema, CFTC has received a growing number of complaints regarding excessive pricing, particularly for essential goods such as food items, building materials, fertilizers, and poultry feed.

“The commission is actively engaging businesses to ensure compliance with fair trading laws while imposing penalties of up to 10% of a company’s annual turnover for those found guilty of exploitative pricing,” he said.

In his remarks, Executive Director for the Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA), John Kapito, commended the ongoing efforts by CFTC but called for more consumer participation in economic decision making.

“Our role as a watchdog is to advocate for policies that protect consumers, however, real change comes when consumers themselves speak out.

“We have seen vendors organizing themselves to demand price reductions, which ultimately benefits all consumers, unfortunately many Malawians remain reluctant to take part in such initiatives,” observed Kapito.

Kapito further noted that market regulation remains a challenge due to weak enforcement systems and corruption within regulatory bodies.

He highlighted the commendable efforts of the Minister of Trade Engineer Vitumbiko Mumba, who has been personally engaging in market inspections to expose unfair pricing practices.

Kapito noted that government through Ministry of Trade has been proactive in addressing market irregularities through policy interventions and stronger consumer protection mechanisms.

“While the government and consumer rights organizations play a critical role, consumers themselves must also take an active stance in safeguarding their rights.”

He finally urged Malawians to demand transparency in pricing and stand united against unfair business practices.

“Solidarity is key and we must challenge price manipulation, misleading advertisements, and demand transparency in the distribution of goods and services,” Kapito added.

As Malawi moves forward, the call for fairness in pricing remains crucial in fostering a sustainable and inclusive economy where all consumers can access goods and services at reasonable prices.

World Consumer Rights Day celebrations come just days after vendors in some regions in the country protested against the rising prices of certain essential goods on the market, prompting renewed calls for stronger consumer protection measures and fair pricing regulations.