Praneeta Prakash 
[Photo: FILE]
With just three weeks remaining before schools reopen, the Consumer Council has intensified its back-to-school market surveillance to protect parents and guardians from unfair pricing and misleading sales practices.
Consumer Council Chief Executive Seema Shandil says surveillance has already begun, focusing on school stationery and other essential items commonly purchased ahead of the new academic year.
She says the early monitoring allows the Council to establish baseline prices before peak shopping begins.
Shandil says ¤back-to-school expenses place significant pressure on household budgets, making it crucial that every dollar spent is fair and accurate.
“We have started with the pre-market surveillance on school stationaries and the other items that normally parents and guardians purchase for their children. So, what we are, our intention is to get all the normal prices now.”
Shandil says they will continue their surveillance throughout the back-to-school period to ensure retailers comply with fair trading practices.
The council would like to urge every parent and guardian to ensure that they shop wisely and stay vigilant while Consumer Council of Fiji will be doing their work in terms of doing market surveillance.
Parents and guardians have been urged to shop smart by preparing a list, setting a budget, and avoiding impulse purchases.
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