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CAC Embarks on Media Campaign to Encourage Good Spending Habits

December 8, 2004

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The Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) has embarked on a consumer education and media campaign to encourage good spending habits during the Christmas season.
Tanikie McLarty, Director of Field Operations at the CAC, told JIS News, that the campaign was geared toward educating consumers about their rights and responsibilities especially as it related to trade agreements such as hire purchases and lay-away-plans, which were popular immediately before, and during the Christmas season.
The education programme, which began in October and will continue into January has been targeting students, business enterprises, parents, community and church groups among others.
Racquel Chambers, Research & Communication Officer at the CAC, said that consumers were being encouraged to adopt good budgeting practices, safety and conservation measures.
“We want to encourage consumers to conserve, to cut back,” she said, adding that, in light of the season “we can decorate.but we have to be good energy citizens.[bearing in mind] the national situation.”Conserving energy, Mrs. Chamber pointed out, was not only important to the country in terms of foreign exchange savings, but was also beneficial to consumers with terms of personal savings.
With respect to Christmas lights for instance, Mrs. Chambers suggested that consumers use miniature or icicle lights, which are more energy efficient, with 100 bulbs utilising about 50 watts of electricity, compared to 100 two-inch bulbs, which use 700 watts.
Meanwhile, Miss McLarty said that since the start of the year, the CAC has reached some 34,000 persons islandwide through its outreach activities, which include workshops and exhibitions.
She said the CAC, through its varied public education programmes had been effective in changing consumer behaviour and persons were now actively seeking advice from the CAC before making purchases. This is a change from the previous years, when persons would make purchases then file complaints, seeking redress for shoddy goods.
The Commission, Miss McLarty stated, would facilitate any group interested in becoming more informed on issues that pertain to consumer affairs.

Last Updated: December 8, 2004

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