The lack of consumer knowledge about the products and services they are purchasing is one of the problems faced by consumers. Effective international and national marketing requires a thorough knowledge of consumer behaviour, which has one important objective: to bring about the required market response. Due to a lack of understanding of consumer behaviour, less developed countries do not have effective marketing.
Illiteracy
presents a significant challenge for consumers, increasing their vulnerability
to purchasing unsafe products, such as expired or unlabeled items, and
receiving substandard services. Many illiterate consumers lack access to the
necessary information to make informed purchasing decisions and often find it
difficult to comprehend complex terms and conditions. Additionally, the
prevalence of misleading information further exacerbates these challenges,
placing them at greater risk in the marketplace.
Zambia is one of the countries that have a lot of defective products on its market and it has been unfair for traders to deny customers refunds or exchange even for defective products through disclaimers. A disclaimer is a notice where a trader states In plain language that they are not liable for anything that happens to the goods and services after supplying them to consumers. The most common form of disclaimer is “No Refund; No Exchange; No Returns.” This is contrary to the Competition and Consumer Protection Act which is the law that deals with the regulation of competition in everyday transactions as well as the protection of consumers.
For a long time, consumers in Zambia have been massively exploited. Huge posters written ‘no refund, no return’ hang on the walls of most supermarkets and shopping outlets. This practice is a clear infringement of consumers' rights, and constitutes theft in the same way that it robs customers of their hard earned money when they are not allowed to return or be compensated for defective products. This has brought about an increase in the sale of expired and defective products in the country.
Food
Adulteration is another problem faced by consumers in Zambia. It can be defined
as the practice of adulterating food or contamination of food materials by
adding a few substances, which are collectively called adulterants. This
is contrary to the Competition And Consumer Protection Act;
the law that regulates competition and protects consumers in Zambia.
Another problem encountered by consumers in Zambia is hoarding or the holding of goods, also known as a supply irregularity. Hoarding is the practice of holding back goods and services in order to create an artificial shortage in order to raise prices; this situation can also lead to an unnecessary black market and reduce consumer welfare through higher prices. It is assumed that at production and distribution levels this practice has been used in monopoly controlled sectors of Zambia. This leads to an increase in product prices during the hoarding period, but is not significantly reduced as soon as it has ceased and will lead to a reduction of consumer welfare and create artificially low supplies. Cases of hoarding have been reported in monopoly sectors, e.g. sugar and cement markets which appear to be competitive with the market dealing with mealie meal.
To curb the challenges faced by consumers in Zambia, the Competition And Consumer Protection Act Of 2010 was enacted and it is there to ensure the protection of the rights and interests of consumers. It is also an enabling act of the competition and Consumer Protection Commission, under part II, section 4 of the act, a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce Trade and industry mandated to enforce the act by safeguarding and promoting competition and protecting consumers against unfair trading practices as well as a tribunal made under part IX, section 67 Of the act to which consumers can report any violations of their consumer rights.
In trying to address the needs of the vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has carried out various advocacy and awareness programmes such as the translation of brochures into the seven main dialects of Zambia, the commemoration of World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD), writing articles, mounting billboards and running of recorded adverts in various local languages to sensitize customers, the appointment of inspectors and Inspection of trading premises, establishment of competition and consumer protection commission school club, provincial sensitization tours, inter-city bus terminus sensitization using key audio messages on how to not fall prey to unscrupulous operators, use of a survey tracker for improved consumer service, the introduction of a toll-free line (5678); as well as chiefdom sensitization. These initiatives are all efforts used to address the needs of the vulnerable consumers.
Consumer protection is vital for creating a fair,
transparent, and trustworthy marketplace. By empowering consumers through
information, enforcing product safety and quality standards, upholding fair
business practices, and addressing digital concerns, consumer protection
measures promote confidence and mitigate potential risks. Governments,
regulatory bodies, businesses, and consumers themselves all have a role to play
in fostering a culture of consumer protection. Through this, a marketplace where individuals are
well-informed, their rights are respected, and a market where they can make
confident choices in their economic transactions can be built.
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