The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (MCIL) in
collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Office of
the Regulator (OOTR) and the Ministry of Customs and Revenue
(MCR) hosted the World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD)
Awareness at the Apitaga o Pisaga Hall in Salelologa, Savaii on
Monday 15th March with more than hundred (100) participants
comprised of traders, consumers and the general public.
WCRD was first celebrated in Samoa in 1998 when the Government passed into law the Fair Trading
Act 1998, which was later repealed and replaced by the Competition and Consumer Act (CCA) 2016.
This important event is an annual international event commemorated on the 15th March that signifies
the celebration and solidarity in the international consumer movement to protect and uphold consumer
rights.
Those eight (8) basic rights protected in Samoa include the;
1. Right to safety,
2. Right to information,
3. Right to choose,
4. Right to representation,
5. Right to satisfaction of basic needs,
6. Right to redress,
7. Right to a healthy environment,
8. Right to consumer education.
The theme for 2021 according to the Consumers International (CI), the membership organization for
consumer groups around the world, is “Tackle Plastic Pollution,” which aims to create awareness
against the use of plastic to save our ecosystem, as this continues to be a pressing issue globally with
our region being amongst the most vulnerable. This coincides with the current efforts by the
Government to eradicate single use plastics nation-wide. However, the Ministry opted to celebrate this
special day by holding an engagement program to further enhance the understanding of consumers and
traders of their obligatory roles and functions.
The Honourable Minister, Lautafi Fio Selafi Purcell highlighted in his keynote address the importance
of consumer rights and protection. He also reminded the participants that pyramid scheme is illegal
and advised not to engage in such scheme.
Further to the awareness program, the Division will carry out inspections of all registered traders from
Tuesday 16th

– Friday 19th March across Savaii to further increase compliance and awareness of its

legislations.