The recipients of Homes CARE initiative in the Western division have been urged to be wary of cash back and other promotions provided by the traders.
The Consumer Council has received five complaints whereby consumers were misled or tempted into buying more items than intended.
Chief executive, Premila Kumar, says consumers must be responsible and alert when buying items.
The Council has joined hands with the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission and established a taskforce to carry out investigation on traders who have allegedly increased the prices of goods after the initiative was rolled out.
“So it is a clear indication that at a time like this when the government is trying to help the needy the private sector on the other hand is trying to profiteer, they want to make more money out of it and our concern right now is that they are giving special prices during celebration, during festive occasion and now they have gone back to the original price. Why? Why are they doing this? Because they know it is a guaranteed income they will be getting out of those cards so there is no effort on their part to compete to bring the prices down by giving discount.”
The joint taskforce has begun investigation in the Western Division from today.
