Businesses are reminded to adhere to the Sales Regulations, which state that discounts for an item during sales must be based on the lowest price offered or sold in the last 30 days, before the start of the Brunei Salebration (BSb) 2020.
This includes prices and discounts that were verbally agreed upon between a buyer and a seller when the transaction is made, the Department of Competition and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) said in a statement.
The directive serves to ensure that consumers are not misled into having a false sense of saving by businesses that base their discounts on inflated ‘previous prices’ or false claims of the ‘previous price’ prior to the sales period. Failing to produce information to prove valid discounts or falsifying discount pricing to mislead the consumer is an offence under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Order and the Sales Regulations, which carries a maximum penalty of a USD20,000 fine and five years’ imprisonment.
Businesses are encouraged to ensure compliance by using bona fide ‘previous prices’ as a basis for their discounts so consumers are able to fairly compare the before and after prices and make informed purchase decision.
While the DCCA will continue to conduct routine inspections, the public is advised to be the eyes and ears in providing feedback to the DCCA if they suspect of any unfair business conduct.
The BSb 2020 has received overwhelming support from the business community with 481 retail stores participating across all sectors. Sectors with the highest participating stores are house furnishings, electrical and electronics, hardware stores, clothing and footwear, retail shops, department stores and supermarkets.
For any queries, contact the Darussalam Line at 123, email to consumercomplaint@jpes.gov.bn, or through the PenggunaBijak mobile app.
