In the fiscal year 2023-2024, CCAA facilitated a refund of Nu 0.7 million.
The Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (CCAA), Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment (MoICE), received a total of 129 complaints in the fiscal year 2023-2024.
Of 129 complaints during the period, 114 complaints were complaints received from individuals. Most of the complaints were received from Thimphu Thromde which was the highest when compared with other Dzongkhags and Thromdes.
The breach of terms and conditions represented the highest complaints against businesses representing approximately half of the complaints (53%) followed by other unethical business practice (19%), while 15% of the complaints were related to supply of defective substantial products. There were also several complaints about the supply of defective or sub-standard products and sale of goods at much higher prices.
Within the fiscal year 2023–2024, CCAA facilitated a refund of Nu 0.7 million and the office either ensured immediate rectification of bad business practice, imposed fines and penalties amounting to more than one million ngultrum and also closed some business operations that were deemed illegal as per law.
A total of 2,207 business entities spread across 75 different towns in seventeen dzongkhags were inspected during the period. In some inspections, officials from Bhutan Food & Drug Authority (BFDA), Bhutan Standard Bureau (BSB) and Regional Office of Industry, Commerce and Employment (ROICE) also participated in the surveillance. All types of businesses including Petroleum Retail Outlets, Hotels & Restaurants, Hardware Stores, Garment Stores and Groceries were covered.
The authority also imposed more than Nu 0.2 million as a penalty on businesses that were selling food that was unfit for consumption or goods past their expiration dates. Businesses failing to meet the minimum statutory market requirements were made to rectify immediately or were given some time to be able to meet the standards.
In response to the growing number of online businesses and the increased risk they pose to consumers, the CCAA contacted and monitored about fifty registered e-commerce entities that are in operation to ensure their compliance with regulatory requirements. Additionally, the authority is also on the lookout for any suspicious-looking online businesses operating in the country.
In order to tackle cross-border consumer disputes, the CCAA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with its Bangladeshi counterpart (the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection). A similar MoU still exists with Thailand’s Office of Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), while efforts are underway to sign one with the Indian counterpart.
With the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the CCAA had drafted a competition bill to address the current limitations in enforcing and protecting market competition has been drafted and is ready to be submitted to parliament. “The bill seeks to streamline market practices, prevent monopolistic behavior, and promote fair business practices.”
The CCAA implemented many activities to educate consumers across diverse sections of the population, reaching out to more than 1,200 businesses to educate them about extant consumer protection laws and on ethical way of doing business.
Looking ahead, the CCAA hopes to envision a proactive and impactful role in safeguarding consumer interests and promoting economic competitiveness by employing more innovative ideas, taking advantage of digital technology, improving the quality of market research, and setting up market surveillance.
The CCAA also plans to take a proactive role in safeguarding consumer interests by employing innovative ideas, leveraging digital technology, and improving market research. The authority also aims to package information effectively to educate consumers about their rights and responsibilities.
The authority will also prioritize identifying anti-competitive practices among big businesses, thereby promoting competitive market practices.
The CCAA will focus on frequent monitoring of sectors and markets that pose the greatest risk to consumers, allocating more resources to these sectors.
Other activities include undertaking smart, need-based studies and research to determine interventions so as to create an environment that encourages fair competition and encourages and rewards businesses that comply with laws thus providing ethical and valuable service to consumers.
The Authority also plans to continue to identify areas of strategic collaboration with partners both within and outside the MoICE and work towards formalizing and realizing the goals that meets mutual mandates and goals.
By Nidup Lhamo, Thimphu
