Latest News

Alert on False Individuals Masquerading as CCPC Inspectors

2020-02-17

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has noted with concern the rise in the number of individuals who are masquerading as Commission Inspectors and employees. 

Following preliminary investigations conducted by the Commission, it has been discovered that there are some unscrupulous people purporting to be either employees or inspectors from the Commission who are confiscating goods and collecting money illegally from traders across the country.

The Commission would like to urge all traders and the general public to be cautious of any person claiming to be an officer or inspector from the Commission by ensuring that they look out for Identification Cards (I.D) and certificate of appointment as proof of executing their duties. Were the public is not sure or in doubt, please contact the Commission or the Zambia Police Service immediately. 

We would like to inform traders, retailers and manufacturers that the Commission does not issue spot fines, hence anyone demanding money from traders should be treated as a suspected extortionist and be reported to the Commission on the toll free line 5678 or any nearest Police station. Please be advised that fines are imposed by the Board of Commissioners and not Management or Inspectors.

The Commission would like to warn individuals or anyone claiming to be a Commission Officer or Inspector to deist from engaging into such fraudulent conduct as that is prohibited under the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia. Thus, any person found guilty is liable to imprisonment for 3 years.

Rainford Mutabi

CCPC Awards Winners for National Inter-School Poster Competition

2020-02-11

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in partnership with the Rural Finance Expansion Programme (RUFEP) conducted a poster competition for secondary schools on financial inclusion. The aim was to assess how much knowledge the pupils had on financial consumer protection in Zambia and also to inculcate the pupils with this knowledge.

The competition was held under the theme, “Financial Consumer Protection in the Digital Era” and involved the participation of fifty (50) secondary school clubs countrywide. Out of the total posters that were submitted, the winning poster from each province was selected to compete for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes at national level.

The Commission would like to inform the nation that of the selected posters from the ten (10) provinces, Kamwala South Secondary school won the 1st Prize with Solwezi Boys Technical Secondary taking 2nd Prize while Hillside Girls Secondary School got 3rd Prize. These schools represented Lusaka, North-Western and Eastern Provinces respectively.

The Commission has used this competition to evaluate the depth of knowledge of our future leaders on financial consumer protection. However, the Commission is concerned that only 20% of the pupils were able to depict illustrations on financial consumer protection such as highlighting concerns on secure passwords, non-disclosure of Personal Identification Number (PIN) and posting of Personal bank information on social media among others. The CCPC together with the Financial Sector regulators continues to raise 
awareness on these issues and from this competition it is clear that more needs to be done. 

The Commission also awarded shields and books to the seven (7) schools that emerged winners at provincial level. These include Raphael Kombe Girls, Choma Day, Limulinga, Chinsali Day, Nchelenge, St. Francise and Wusakile secondary schools. The schools represent Central, Southern, Western, Muchinga, Luapula, Northern and Copperbelt Provinces respectively. 

The Commission would like to congratulate all the schools that took part in the competition together with stakeholders that participated in the evaluation of results including the Bankers Association of Zambia (BAZ), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Pensions and Insurance Authority (PIA).

Rainford Mutabi

CCPC Seizes Goods Worth k23, 000 in Chinsali

2020-02-10

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in collaboration with the Chinsali Municipal Council (CMC) has seized assorted goods worth twenty three thousand kwacha (K23, 000). This follows a joint inspection conducted at Chinsali Central Business District.

The seized items had defects and therefore, did not meet the mandatory product information standards set by section 50 of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) No. 24 of 2010 and the Food and Drugs Regulations under the Food and Drugs Act Cap 303 of the Laws of Zambia.

Defects on the seized items included insufficient labels, expired products while others did not have expiry dates. Other seized items had inappropriate packaging and some had broken seals.

The products seized include Coca-Cola Zero, Super Maheu and Twist Carbonated drink. 

The seizure of the goods was conducted during a routine inspection of trading premises in Muchinga Province with the view of ascertaining the traders’compliance levels with the Competition and Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) No.24 of 2010.

The Commission would like to warn all suppliers, retailers and distributors to seize selling unsuitable products which have exceeded or are close to reaching their shelf life especially to rural areas.

Traders are further advised to abide by the law and desist from engaging in unfair trading practices or any conduct that erode consumer welfare. Further, the Commission would like to advice consumers countrywide to be proactive and report perpetrators of both anti-competitive business behavior and unfair trading practices to the Commission.

Rainford Mutabi

Cement Price Hike Investigations Still Ongoing

2020-01-17

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is still undertaking its investigations regarding the simultaneous and synchronized hike of prices in the cement sector.

CCPC has in the recent days been receiving press queries and calls from the media following a press statement which was released by Lafarge on the dawn raid that was conducted by CCPC last Tuesday at Lafarge Cement Manufacturing Company in Chilanga.

The Commission is alive to the fact that the media plays a pivotal role in informing Consumers and Zambians at large especially on matters that are core to the growth of Zambia’s economy.

Thus, CCPC wishes to urge the general public and the media that information relating to findings obtained from the raid will be communicated to them when investigations are concluded.

However, CCPC would like to acknowledge that the content of the press statement by Lafarge was true as the company was compliant with all investigation proceedings at the time of the raid.

Rainford Mutabi