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| Sunday, 19 June 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Regulation of retail supermarkets Consumer Ombudsman by The National Consumer Watch There are several major supermarket chains operating in Sri Lanka. The private supermarket chains in the country are on a rapid expansion drive to urban and rural areas. It was only about three years ago the supermarkets in Sri Lanka took the initiative to expand into areas outside city limits. This was driven by factors like the emergence of a new class of wealthy people in outstation areas, the newly acquainted life styles of people requiring them to seek such services. Due to the demand, many supermarkets emerged in the country in addition to the already established ones. However public sector health officials were not ready to meet the demand created by such supermarkets. Food was made available in bulk in these supermarkets and often the same kind in different brands etc. There were many instances in the past where outdated food has been sold by supermarkets in Colombo and the Provinces. The modus operandi of the sales staff of some supermarkets is like this. This exercise is carried out since outdated food (expiration date passed) if thrown away becomes an indicator of loss/low sales. Often outdated food items are kept on the shelves of the supermarkets with other good food items. An unnoticing customer would buy them. However if the customer notes them as out dated food after purchasing and brings it to the attention of the management of the relevant supermarket they would say that their sales girls had done a mistake when arranging the shelves in the supermarket premises and that is why the outdated food had gone in to the place where good food is kept. The situation is such that there had been so many explanations like this given by the management of the same supermarkets to different customers. Therefore, the customers who buy goods from supermarkets must check the expiration date before paying for them. Its time the government of Sri Lanka regulate the retail and supermarket industry in Sri Lanka before it gets worse. There are many discrepancies in this area. For example, retail shops that sell various items like clothes, bags, various personal accessories etc. often let down the customers. Retail shop owners in major towns sell very low quality items saying that they can return them if anything happens. However when taken back for replacements they shout at the customers. Producers of various products often make false claims about the product, in order to sell their product. This is not acceptable and can be regarded as immoral. For example in countries like USA if a producer makes a representation to the general public at large it has to be scientifically proven after testing in a laboratory environment and using a sample as well. Without such a scientific background the producers are not allowed to make various representations of such serious nature to the general public. Recently in Sri Lanka a milk powder producer had made a claim that the spinal cord of old women may get straightened if they consumed this milk powder. Similarly various other producers make various claims as advertising gimmicks to sell the products to consumers. Due to this the general public are deceived and they hold belief in something that is untrue. Thus the decision they take to buy the particular type of a product is wrong and due to that their quality of life may become affected. Therefore it is the responsibility of the government of Sri Lanka to enact suitable laws to prevent this type of claims made made by producers without a scientific background. A true claim by a producer will always help to improve the consumers' quality of life as the intended use can be obtained. Bottled water sold in shops There are many types of bottled water sold in Sri Lanka. These come in different brands and often claim that they have been produced from a natural water spring or after a thorough process. However the facts mentioned on the label of the water bottle is not verified by a third party. The normal practice for this type of a product where there is an imminent risk of the producer deviating from the stated facts regarding the production process, is to seek a third party, probably the government or a private sector laboratory to carry out a certification process of the producer's production process and certify the stated facts on the label under its name. This will be a good certification to the consumers, of the product regarding the claim made by the producer. Chemical spray on vegetables and fruits in the market The vendors who sell vegetables and fruits in the market often resort to unethical means to ensure that the vegetables and fruits they sell are changed artificially to ensure that they appear as ripen, before the natural process of ripening occurs. In order to earn a quick cash return, the vendors often resort to this. For example, they spray chemicals on the vegetables and fruits. This can be seen properly if one washes them after bringing them home. For example, the chemicals would wash away due to the tap water. A recent case study revealed spectacular findings of how DDT sprayed to destroy germs in drains had got in to a cow's body. The DDT had been recklessly sprayed on grass grounds by the municipal workers concerned. Thereafter it had been eaten by a cow and the milk of the cow had contained an element of DTT. This milk had been given to a baby and elements of DTT structure had been found inside the baby's body. What complications it will result in the baby's behaviour in future, only time will reveal. We shall revert to some of these matters in future comments. Meanwhile do write in. We are at No. 143A, Vajira Road, Colombo 5. |
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