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CCPC Cautions Public Against Consumption of Some Caned Tiger Brands

2021-09-28

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has received a cautionary notice from the COMESA Competition Commission (CCC) warning the general public against consuming and selling of some selected Tiger Brands that are alleged to have been packaged in defective cans.

This warning comes after Tiger Brands of South Africa was ordered by the CCCto recall all Tiger Brands KOO and Hugo Branded vegetable products that were manufactured between 1st May 2019 and 5th May 2021.
 
The recall is due to the cold weld seam defect which is causing small leakages from the cans and has the potential to cause secondary microbial contamination of the food product.

The affected products were exported from South Africa and extended to some countries in the common market such as Zambia, Malawi, Seychelles, Mauritius, Eswatini and the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

In view of the foregoing, the CCPC is urging all Zambian consumers and traders to exercise caution by ensuring that they look out for the affected Tiger Brands stipulated in “Annexure A” below and avoid consumption or sale for the good of their health and safety. 

Product Code Brand        Description                                                                  Manufactured on or Before Dates 
15-4259          Koo           Koo Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce 12x / 12x410g           5/5/2021
15-2411          Koo           Koo Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce Lite /12x410g            5/5/2021
15-2234          Hugo’s      Hugos Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce /6x410g                 5/5/2021
15-2240          Koo           Multi Pack Bits 4x410g                                                      5/5/2021
15-1006          Koo           Koo Butter Beans 12x410g / 12x410g                               5/5/2021
15-3972          Koo           Koo Butter Beans Curry/Tangy Sauce12/12x410g             5/5/2021
15-10007        Koo           Koo Butter Beans in Tomato Sauce 12/12x420g                5/5/2021
15-10012        Koo           Koo Chilli Beans 12x420g / 12x420g 5/5/2021
15-2392          Koo           Koo Baked Beans in Tomato & Herb Sauce / 12x410g      5/5/2021
15-2393          Koo           Koo Baked Beans in Curry Sauce 12x410/12410g              5/5/2021
15-2394          Koo           Koo Baked Beans in Hot Chakalaka /12x410g                    5/5/2021
15-15586        Koo           Koo Baked Beans in BBQ Flavoured Sauce                          5/5/2021
15-15587        Koo           Koo Baked Beans in Chili Wors Flavoured Sauce                 5/5/2021
15-4253          Koo           Koo Cream Style Sweetcorn 12x415g / 12x415g                 5/5/2021
15-10033        Koo           Koo Whole Kernel Corn 12x410g / 12x410g                        5/5/2021
15-4161          Koo           Koo Veg Curry in Tangy Sauce 12x420g / 12x420g              5/5/2021
15-4160          Koo           Koo Veg Curry Hot 12x420g/ 12x420g                                 5/5/2021
15-10021        Koo           Koo Vegetable Curry 12x420g/ 12x420g                              5/5/2021
15-10019        Koo           KOO Cape Malay 12x410g                                                    5/5/2021
15-10022        Koo           KOO Durban Curry 12x410g                                                 5/5/2021
15-10018        Koo           Koo Mixed Vegetables 12x410g/12x410g                            5/5/2021
15-15619        H/BERG     Hbg Fresh Garden Peas 12x410g /12x410g                          5/5/2021
15-10024        Koo           Koo Fresh Garden Peas 12x410g /12x410g                           5/5/2021
15-15588        Koo           Koo Fresh Garden Peas in Brine 12x400g                              5/5/2021
15-15590        Koo           Koo Surfmaid Petit Pois in Brine 12x400g                              5/5/2021
15-10030        Koo           Koo Short Spaghetti 12x410g / 12x410g                               5/5/2021 

Further, the Commission hereby directs all importers, distributors, traders, wholesalers and retailers to remove and surrender to the nearest Public Health office of every Council all affected Tiger Brands with immediate effect.

Namukolo M. Kasumpa

CCPC and MMC Seize Goods Worth Over K3,000 in Western Province

2021-08-11

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in partnership with the Mongu Municipal Council (MMC) have seized assorted goods worth K3,901 in Mongu district Western Province.

Among the items seized include Yess- Ginger Beer, Red Rock Cola, Frooty Soft Drink, Jolly Juice, Twist Drink, Fanta, Sprite, Cowbell Milk sachets, Freshpikit Baked Beans, Flair Baked Beans, D’lite Grown Ups, Hugos Mixed Fruit as well as Chelsea, Chicco and Choco Mint- Biscuits.

Other products seized are KOO Baked Beans, Milo, Rhodes Mixed Vegetables,Rhodes Mixed Fruit Jam, Riteband Peach Halves, Riteband Mixed Vegetables, Deep Clean- Bar Soap, Protex, Always Sanitary Pads, raw Apples and Oranges including Big Tree, Cowbell and NIDO milk products.

The seized products did not meet the mandatory product information standards set by Section 50 of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) No. 24 of 2010 as well as the Food and Drugs Act Cap 303 of the Laws of Zambia. 

The inspection covered 10 trading premises of Mandanga’s Central Business District (CBD) in Mongu and aimed at assessing the traders’ compliance levels with the Act for enhancement of competition and promotion of consumer protection in Zambia.

The Commission in collaboration with MCC and other relevant stakeholders will continue to enforce the law in accordance with their respective mandates
 
in order to ensure that consumers are protected from any unfair trading practices in the country.

Namukolo M. Kasumpa

CALL FOR COMMENTS

2021-06-08

The Commission is currently working on a paper titled “Consumer Financial Education Strategies on How to Identify and Combat Online Scams”. This paper seeks to highlight and share some important information to consumers on online scams and how to identify them pursuant to the Competition and Consumer Protection Act. In view of the above, the Commission seeks your comments/input on the same. Therefore, kindly download the said paper from the url provided. https://www.ccpc.org.zm/media/guide/Consumer-Financial-Education-Strategies-On-How-To-Identify-And-Combat-Online-Scams.pdf 

CCPC

Google Play Store to require app providers to provide consumers with detailed information regarding data collection and use following growing international pressure

2021-05-20

Following international intervention by consumer protection agencies from 27 countries that are members of the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN), Google announced that app providers will be required to indicate on the Google Play Store what personal data each app keeps and potentially shares about its users. This follows an open letter from ICPEN to digital businesses in 2018, followed by a letter from the group of 27 agencies to both Apple and Google in 2019 pressuring them to make the requested changes.1 This joint action was endorsed by Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN).  

With this update to the Google Play Store these ICPEN members have successfully managed to get the two biggest app stores to provide consumers with clear and comprehensive information enabling consumers to compare and choose apps based on how they use personal data. 

Google is planning to roll this feature out in phases and will make this mandatory for all apps from 2022 onward. Apple already made similar changes in 2020. You can read more about this here.  

This joint initiative highlights the importance of international collaboration to ensure consumers are safeguarded in a world where they are spending an increasing amount of time online where they interact with multiple apps daily.   

The Consumer Authority of Norway, The UK Competition and Markets Authority and The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets lead this joint action. You can find their statements below.  

The Consumer Authority of Norway: Google will improve information on how apps collect and use personal data  

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets: Google to require providers to add information about data use to apps in its app store  

Quotes
 
“In a world where borders between nations are no longer a potential barrier to misconduct, international cooperation and collaboration are fundamental in consumer protection. Ensuring consumers are provided with clear and straightforward language regarding the personal data an app both collects and uses, is important for consumers to make informed decisions before downloading any app.” 

-Josephine A.L. Palumbo, President, ICPEN 

“We applaud our counterparts in achieving this impactful result organized by 27 ICPEN members, and appreciate the opportunity to participate in the compliance action - a first for inter-network collaboration in the privacy and consumer protection domains. Such collaborative actions in these increasingly intersecting regulatory spheres provide a more holistic and complementary protection to global citizens for both their consumer interests and privacy rights.”  -OPC-Canada, UK-ICO, PCPD-HK, PPA-Israel – GPEN Committee Members Listed . . .  

Quick Facts  

• ICPEN is an organization of more than 65 consumer protection agencies from around the world working together to combat fraudulent, deceptive and unfair trading practices. • GPEN is a group of privacy regulators whose mission is to improve cooperation in enforcement of cross-border laws affecting privacy.
• This action against Google follows an international intervention by ICPEN members in 2020 where Apple agreed to indicate on its App Store what personal data each app uses. See more detail here.

ICPEN News