Vendors fleece consumers at Galle Face Green

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has focussed attention on the sale of food and beverages at exorbitant prices by certain vendors and stall owners at the Galle Face Green. The Galle Face Green has become the hub for those taking a stroll in the evenings after it was renovated by the Government under the City Beautification Program.

Over 2,000 people including children visit the Galle Face Green on week days and there are over 4,000 visitors during weekends and Poya days.

When a Sunday Observer staffer visited the Galle Face Green last Sunday following a complaint by a group of visitors, including a foreigner on the sale of food items at exorbitant prices, some shop owners said that although the price is marked on the labels of soft drinks, bottles of water and several other packeted food items, nobody could argue on the price as they are brought from distant places to Colombo.

When contacted a senior official of the Colombo Municipality said that although the stalls at the Galle Face Green are run by vendors under the purview of the Council, it was the duty of the Consumer Affairs Authority to look into the consumers complaints regarding the selling prices of items.

Investigative officer CAA Janaka Prasad Tillakawardana said that action would be taken against stall owners and vendors who sell food and other items above the controlled price.

It is said that some stall owners are in the habit of selling price controlled food and beverage items at exorbitant prices to locals and foreigners after 9.00 pm.