Strict laws essential to curb substandard products - CAA

by Kurulu Kariyakarawana

Strict laws followed by heavy fines are essential to control the increasing amounts of substandard products flowing into the local market that pose a grave threat to the health of the consumer, the CAA said.

Referring to the recent detection of several thousand kilograms of chilli powder and ground black pepper unfit for the human consumption, Deputy Director Investigations Consumer Affairs Authority Asela Bandara said the existing laws are not strict enough to discourage the wrongdoers.

The laws pertaining to the Consumer Affairs Act are fines varying from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 10,000 if it is not a private limited company and if it is private limited company the fines will range from Rs. 10,000 to Rs.100,000. Also a six-month prison term is imposed depending on the case.

It is felt that these laws are not strict enough because of the large number of cases reported everyday and the large quantities of substandard products being detected worth over millions of rupees.

It is evident in certain cases where little fines were imposed on heavy loads of products unfit for human consumption.

A fine of Rs. 16,000 was imposed on a bulk of expired hair dye sachets worth over Rs. 1.1 million, a large stock of coffee and coffee essence worth over Rs. 3 million was fined Rs. 20,000 only.