FCCC faces questions over weak enforcement amid rising complaints

The Fiji Commerce and Consumer Commission (FCCC) faces scrutiny from a parliamentary committee over its enforcement capabilities, particularly in light of a substantial rise in consumer complaints.

The committee highlighted a significant gap between the FCCC's enforcement activities and the tangible outcomes for consumers. While the commission conducted 10,659 inspections and logged 888 complaints, more than four times the previous year's 211, it only filed 34 charges, resulting in $86,000 in fines. A notable concern is that 58 percent of complaints involved price-controlled goods, indicating potential non-compliance with price regulations.

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Among the key recommendations, the Committee recommends that FCCC publish complaint resolution data to provide clear reporting on the statutes and outcomes of complaints received.

Sakiusa Tubuna, Chair of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, stressed the need for stronger enforcement, increased transparency, and clearer reporting to ensure regulatory actions benefit consumers. The committee proposed that the FCCC should publicly share detailed outcomes for each complaint, specifying how many led to charges, warnings, mediation, or are still under investigation.

Opposition MP Jone Usamate suggested the complaint surge might reflect either worsening market practices or heightened public awareness of the FCCC's role. He also called for more robust action against persistent offenders and in sectors like digital commerce, artificial shortages, hoarding, and selective stocking of price-controlled items. The committee has put forth 12 recommendations to bolster the FCCC's enforcement, transparency, and consumer protection measures. Additionally, the committee questioned the lack of transparency surrounding four mergers and acquisitions valued at $3.496 billion, seeking clarity on their approval status.

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stronger action is also needed against habitual offenders and in areas such as digital commerce, artificial shortages, hoarding and selective stocking of price-controlled goods.