Official Highlights – By Jeressa Jeremy
Official Highlights Consumer Safety
During his address at a recent prize-giving ceremony, Director of Prices and Consumer Affairs Division Orrin Steele stressed that consumer and product safety is a shared responsibility.
The event was held by the department in recognition of World Consumer Rights Day Competition announced earlier this year.
Steele told the audience of the importance of product safety and the shared responsibility between the Division, businesses, and consumers in ensuring that goods on the market are safe for use.
He said that the Prices and Consumer Affairs Division acts as a regulating body, ensuring both products entering and available for purchase on the island are safe for consumption.
“Retailers at the distribution level, they have a responsibility as well to ensure that the goods that they are importing into Antigua, that they’re safe for consumption as well.
Not just in terms of ingredients, but to ensure that they have proper labelling, not just in English, but the adequate labelling according to the regulations as well,” he said.
Steele also said that consumers have an equal part to play in keeping themselves safe.
“You as the consumers, you have a responsibility as well. You have to ensure that the goods that you’re purchasing are fit as well,” he said.
“You shouldn’t be purchasing goods with limited information on it, with no information on it, goods that are not even labelled in English whatsoever,” adding that students can also caution their parents on ensuring the items they purchase are safe for use by following safety guidelines.
Steele then reaffirmed his advice on product safety being a united effort.
“Product safety covers everyone, not just on a regulatory level, but also on a consumption level. So we have to ensure that we play a part as well to ensure the goods coming in, and what we’re using as well, is safe for us as well.”
