National Consumer Protection Policy launched

PHILLEPUS UUSIKU



The National Consumer Protection Policy 2020-2025 and the Namibia GS1 License was launched on Wednesday in Windhoek.

According to the Minister of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development, Lucia Iipumbu, this is a vital milestone in the government's efforts to ensure efficient quality services to the business community, reflecting the growing prominence of trade facilitation and consumer protection as a key component within the trade and industrial policy spectrum.

Consumers are the largest economic group in the Namibian economy, affecting and affected by almost every public and private economic decision. Two-thirds of all spending in the economy is by consumers, yet they are an important group in the economy who are not effectively organized, whose views are often not heard. The National Consumer Protection Policy seeks to remedy this anomaly, she pointed out.

The policy constitutes important measures to counter some of the worst effects of poverty on Namibia's citizens. It further seeks to protect vulnerable consumers and secure an even playing ground for all businesses to ensure promotion and protection of the rights of consumers, and to ensure unfair trade practices and unscrupulous exploitation of consumers in any market or transaction are monitored, controlled and prohibited at national level and in all possible situations. Thus, this policy equally empowers consumers to navigate the marketplace from an equal and informed position of power and influence, Iipumbu added. The Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade recognizes the buying power of all consumers in Namibia. Thus, the necessity of having the Consumer Protection Policy in place. The policy will provide for the comprehensive consumer protection framework, enforcement institutions and redress system, and consumer education and provision of relevant, adequate and accurate information to the consumer, Iipumbu said.