CAC Urges Greater Collaboration to Ensure Safe Products Ahead of World Consumer Rights Day

The Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) is calling for stronger collaboration among businesses, regulators and consumers to ensure that only safe and fit-for-purpose products are placed on the Jamaican market.

Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Dolsie Allen, made the appeal during a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank on Wednesday, March 4, where she underscored the urgent need for collective responsibility in safeguarding consumers.

Jamaica will join the rest of the world on March 15 to observe World Consumer Rights Day, under the theme ‘Safe Products, Confident Consumers’.

Mrs. Allen emphasised that product safety is not merely a regulatory matter but a fundamental human rights issue.

“Insufficient product safety undermines our human rights to life, health and overall safety,” she said, adding that “when safety systems fall short, consumers bear the burden through injury, financial loss, environmental harm and even loss of life.”

The CEO noted that Jamaica’s heavy reliance on imported goods, combined with the rise in online shopping, has heightened consumer vulnerability.

“Most of the products we consume in Jamaica are imported, and many persons are shopping online. That means consumers are at higher risk,” she stated.

Citing international research, she pointed out that more than 87 per cent of recalled or banned goods globally, remain available for purchase due to weak monitoring and enforcement systems.

She further indicated that many countries lack strong product-safety regulations, making cross-border vigilance even more critical.

The CAC CEO stressed that businesses have a pivotal role in ensuring that products entering and remaining on the market meet required standards.

“Without you, we as consumers cannot exist, because we need what you produce. But at the same time, your business cannot do well without consumers. It has to be relationship,” Mrs. Allen said.

She urged business operators to carefully source goods, verify compliance with established standards, and take proactive steps to remove substandard or counterfeit items from circulation.

“We invite businesses to join us in ensuring that we are confident consumers, and that the products being sold are safe and fit for purpose,” she added.

Mrs. Allen also challenged consumers to become more vigilant and proactive in their purchasing decisions.

“Many of us just pick up items from the shelf and move along without checking. We have to be vigilant,” she stated.

She encouraged Jamaicans to examine product labels, verify expiration dates, look for proper certification marks and report unsafe or suspicious goods to the Commission.

“We are asking the public to join us and assist us in ensuring that substandard products are taken off the market or do not enter the market at all,” the CEO said.

While World Consumer Rights Day is observed globally, Mrs. Allen stressed that Jamaica’s participation must translate into sustained action.

“It is a call to action. It is not just another World Consumer Rights Day that we are observing. We want participation, and we want action.”

She indicated that the theme, ‘Safe Products, Confident Consumers’, will guide the Commission’s outreach and enforcement activities throughout the year.

World Consumer Rights Day is observed in more than 150 countries and seeks to promote fairness, transparency and safety in the global marketplace.

The Commission will partner with regulatory bodies such as the Bureau of Standards Jamaica, the National Compliance and Regulatory Authority and the Jamaica Customs Agency to reinforce compliance monitoring during the World Consumer Rights Day observance and beyond.

Source: JIS