ICCC, State agencies to protect consumer rights

 THE Independent Consumer and Competition is working with State agencies to protect consumer rights.

The agencies include PNG Custom Services, Health Department, National Institute of Standards and Industrial Technology and municipal authorities.

The commission last year liaised with the National Capital District health division to warn the public about the distribution and sale of foreign-labelled beverages.

The commission also supported efforts by the Eastern Highlands provincial health authority and the Goroka Town authority to remove 170 adulterated Dianna tuna 180 gram can products from Sengda Trading in the presence of Dianna Tuna company representatives in Goroka. 

The Commission said the enforcement related to public health legislations.

In October 2015, based on consumer complaints that 1kg and 500g sugar products packed and distributed by Homestate Limited were under-weight, the commission asked the institute to carry out a laboratory test on random samples.

This led to an inspection of Homestate’s Lae factory operations.

Recommendations were made to the company to improve its quality assurance processes.  

The company’s factory scales are periodically inspected by the commission’s Momase regional office.

The commission said it investigated consumer complaints to ensure appropriate remedial actions were taken. It said any complaint lodged that was in the mandate of the commission would be probed.