Fines against errant traders top Rs. 50 m

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has collected Rs. 50 million in fines through 25,000 raids conducted against errant traders from January to July this year.

The CAA netted nearly Rs. 100 million in fines last year from errant traders who had sold substandard food items. Some fines imposed last year will be recovered by the CAA, Co-operatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

"The CAA has achieved rapid progress. At the time I took office, the CAA had conducted only 4,000 raids for the whole year. The CAA raids had today increased up to 40,000 per year", the Minister said.

Price lists are displayed in shops for the benefit of consumers. The CAA raids shops selling substandard food items and even if a state body sells items at higher prices it will be raided. The CAA has garnered considerable public support to conduct raids and people tip off the CAA.

Around 150 CAA officers look into the interests of nearly 20 million people, he said.