91% of inspected businesses non-compliant with Consumer Affairs Act

Inspections carried out at 416 business establishments for the first half of 2023 found that an alarming 91 per cent were non-compliant with the Consumer Affairs Act.
From its mid-year report, the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) inspected businesses across eight administrative regions between January and June. Only nine per cent were in conformance with the CAA.
The highest number of inspections were conducted in February – showing only four per cent compliance while 96 of the establishments were in breach.
“The number of non-compliant businesses exceeded the number of compliant businesses in each and every region. The CCAC will continue to sensitise businesses in the hope that it will reduce this high level of non-conformance among suppliers,” the report added.
Upon reinspection of 346 businesses, 27 became compliant while 73 remained non-compliant. A total of 120 compliance certificates have been issued for the first six months of 2023, while 128 complaints were sent to non-compliant entities – a majority of 86 for Region Four.
In keeping with its constitutionally mandated responsibility of pursuing and ensuring that consumer rights are maintained, the Commission will be seeking a larger budget in 2024 to expand its operations.
Acting Director of the CCAC, Anil Sukhdeo explained during an interview with this publication on Tuesday that expanding the scope of its work would come at a greater price. With just a few months away from the next national budget, the Commission will be asking for increased sums.
He zeroed in, “Currently, we would like to expand what we have. We’re looking at our 2024 budget at the moment and we can’t with our current resources. We’re asking for a larger budget in 2024 so that it is possible that we can have another sub-office established.”

The CCAC operates out of two locations: one at the Sophia Exhibition Complex in Georgetown and Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). The Director hinted at considerations for another sub-office, earmarked for Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
“We’d love to expand. We currently have two offices: in Linden and Georgetown. We’re looking to expand in Region Six. That’s where we have our eye on at the moment. It would be great if we can have a suboffice in all of the regions.”
The CCAC was established in 2011, to enforce consumer rights and ensure competition within markets under the Consumer Affairs Act and the Competition and Fair-Trade Act. Its functions include investigating complaints by agencies and consumers and determining if there has been a contravention of the Competition and Fair-Trading Act of 2006 and the CAA; taking prescribed actions should there be a contravention of the law and eliminating anti-competitive agreements.
The functions of the CCAC include investigating complaints by agencies and consumers; taking prescribed actions should there be contravention of the law; eliminating anti-competitive agreements; to provide information to consumers on their rights and to enable them to make informed choices; instituting and supporting proceedings before a Court of Law, including to bring prosecutions where the Commission deems fit among others.
It is also responsible for providing information to consumers on their rights and enabling them to make informed choices; advising the Minister of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce on matters as it relates to the CFTA and the CAA.
The objective of the Consumer Affairs Act is to promote and protect consumer interests in relation to the supply of goods and services. (G12)