The Consumer Council of Fiji is urging parents, guardians, and students to make informed choices while doing their back-to-school shopping.

Chief Executive Seema Shandil says they’ve increased their surveillance, and apart from a few minor discrepancies, traders have been taking heed of advisories.

However, Shandil emphasizes that consumers should not wait until the last minute, as they might be left disappointed if stocks run out.

She says while they have not received any major complaints, they have observed that people are not doing comparative shopping.

“So there are competitive prices for each brand. If you are out and about, you know, come out early in the morning, go to different shops and see the prices for the items that you are looking for, for the school supplies, and then take your time, compare the prices, and then you do the shopping so that you can get the best deal and save money for other school expenses.”

Fijians are also advised that schools cannot engage in any exclusive dealings with retailers.

The Consumer Council is urging Fijians to report any such directives they receive from the respective schools.