The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission says it will launch investigations into the sudden increase in the prices of disinfectants in particular Chlorine in the wake of the Cholera outbreak.
Commission Spokesperson Namukolo Kasumpa said the increases in the prices of Chlorine reported to have increased by between 800% and1000% from the observed K3-K5 per bottle to over K25-K30 is not only asource of concern but defeats the efforts of Government in the fight against Cholera.
“The Commission has thus taken keen interest in this matter and haslaunched investigations,” Ms Kasumpa said.
She warned that all traders that will be found to have increased the prices of this “now basic” item without justifiable corresponding increase in the sourcing costs will be taken to task.
“The Commission has repeatedly warned business to desist from engagingthemselves in conduct that is unfair and anti-competitive. The applicable fines if found wanting are up to 10% of an enterprises annual turnover,” Ms Kasumpa said.
“Therefore the Commission will not seat idle and watch consumers beingexploited in the wake of the Cholera outbreak,” she said.
Zambia in the sun – the real africa
Kikikiki Koswe mumpoto!!!
Chlorine should be distributed to each and every Zambian with a lot of prayer. You will see how cholera will literally run!
Free enterprise! Demand and supply! Capitalism! Not even basic economics but plain simple common sense! What is there to investigate?
If the demand continues to be high and pushes up the price, more chlorine will be produced traded to a point where there is sufficient supply on the market to bring down the price to original low price or settle at a new equilibrium reflecting the new reality of the effective demand. Nothing the investigate or regulate here. If the government is concerned about getting cheap subsidised chlorine to the masses, it has the capacity to buy in bulk from the suppliers (Trade Kings for example) and wholesale and discounted prices which it can then distribute to the low-income households in high-density areas for instance. This will effectively reduce the demand…
hi CCPC, could you also include marketeers in the areas were markets were not closed like chilenje. i hear beans, kapenta and tomato are diamonds.
I thought chlorine causes cancer can the authorities please investigate this.