In February this year, the federal court in Australia held a jeweller guilty of misleading consumers on the price of the jewellery he had put on sale. Apparently, the jeweller had advertised 17 items of jewellery and next to it, quoted the price of the jewellery prior to the sale and at the time of sale. The price comparison went like this: “Was $199 / Now $99.50”. However, investigations by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission had shown that the jewellery had not been sold at the “was” price at all prior to the sale, as claimed by the jeweller. “Advertised discounts should be real and not illusory,” said the commission, commenting on the case.

Sounds familiar? Well, in this age of globalisation, I suppose one finds similarities even in the way retailers and manufacturers mislead consumers and thereby commit unfair trade practices. In the 1980s and the ’90s, a large number of investigations into such discount sales by the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) had exposed several such practices that were inimical to consumer interest. As a consequence, the MRTPC had come up with a set of guidelines for retailers and manufacturers offering discount sales. For example, when a retailer advertises a sale, the goods should be available at the stated price in reasonably sufficient quantities and for a reasonable duration of time, say 12-15 days, the MRTPC had suggested. The reduction should be on the original price and the percentage of cut in price should be clearly stated in the advertisements as well as at the shop window. In short, there should be transparency and truth in the offers, the commission had said. Hopefully, retailers and manufacturers will follow this basic principle this festive season.

Meanwhile, as a consumer, learn to examine carefully and critically every festival offer before making your purchase decision. Make sure that the discount offer is genuine and the reduction is not on a marked-up price. If what you buy turns out to be defective, you have every right to get a replacement or a refund. Terms and conditions on the bill saying “No exchange and no refund” are not legally enforceable, unless that was a sale of defective goods and you were clearly told so at the time of purchase or your attention drawn to the fact at the time of sale. Remember, as a consumer you have a right to defect-free goods and you have a right to grievance redress. You also have a right to be protected against unfair trade practices.