The Punjab Consumer Protection Council (PCPC) has asked the local administrations of all the districts in Punjab to ensure display of price lists at business places to save consumers from overcharging. In response to a market survey by the Consumer Watch Pakistan (CWP), the PCPC has written a letter to all the DCOs in the Punjab districts that many grocers do not put price tags on grocery items. Most of manufacturing companies have given up the practice of printing prices on their products. A press release by the PCPC stated that this afforded retailers a chance to overcharge the consumers. The CWP had also observed variation in the prices of such items in different localities. The CWP has contended that price codes/price bars are no alternative of price tags because consumers cannot ascertain prices before making a purchase decision.
This practice is in serious contravention to the Section 18 of the Punjab Consumer Protection Act 2005. This section clearly says, “Unless a price catalogue is available to a customer, manufacturers or traders shall display prominently at his shop or display centre a notice specifying the retail or wholesale price, as the case may be, of every item available for sale in that shop or display centre.” It was stated that the law gives powers to DCOs to impose a fine up to Rs 50,000 on the sellers if they fail to meet requirements of Section 18. There are, however, no incidents on record where DCOs have acted proactively on this issue.