CAA raids 112 shops and restaurants near bus stands over consumer law violations

Colombo, July 21 (Daily Mirror) - The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) carried out 112 special emergency raids on shops and restaurants located near bus stands, transport hubs and major long-distance bus stops across the island on July 20 as part of a nationwide operation to protect consumers.

The CAA said the raids targeted businesses operating in areas frequently used by passengers and the public, with the aim of curbing unfair trade practices and ensuring compliance with consumer protection laws.

During the inspections, officials detected several violations, including the sale of beverages, snacks and packaged food items at prices exceeding the maximum retail price (MRP) specified by manufacturers.

Inspectors also found traders failing to display prices of bakery products and other food items in a manner clearly visible to consumers, while some packaged goods lacked essential information such as the date of manufacture, expiry date, batch number, and the name and address of the manufacturer.

In addition, expired food items were found displayed for sale at several outlets.

The CAA said legal action would be instituted against the shops and restaurants that violated the law, with cases to be filed in the relevant Magistrates' Courts under the provisions of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act.

The Authority warned that strict legal action would continue against traders selling goods above the prescribed prices or providing substandard food items to the travelling public. It added that similar special raids would be conducted continuously across the country.

Consumers were also urged to report unfair trade practices to the CAA's 1977 Complaints Unit during office hours.