Mother’s Day Shopping

July 19, 2022

Mothers play a very important role in our lives; they raise us, care for us and sacrifice their needs and wants for us. Mother’s Day should be celebrated every day, but when day to day life gets in the way of making moms feel extra special, hence Mother’s Day becomes an opportune time for most people to appreciate their mothers’ hard work and sacrifice. Most people use Mother’s Day to show their appreciation and love towards their mothers by presenting gifts such as jewelry and having family feasts; filled with delicacies especially baked goods and pastries.
For this reason, the demand for gifts such as jewelry and baked goods and pastries increases during Mother’s Day celebrations. Therefore, the Consumer Council of Fiji is urging consumers not to be swayed in the shopping and gift hunting hype but to be vigilant with each purchase. This is being recommended based on the increase in the number of complaints during such events and celebrations. Consumers are encouraged to take heed of the following advisory tips when out shopping for gifts (especially jewelry) and baked goods.


Purchasing jewelry for mum


Nothing says “you rock mum” more than, well, a rock!


A lot of consumers prefer gifting jewelries to their mums; mainly because their mums may have a love for jewelry; simply admire them; or it may hold sentimental value to them. However, buying jewellery is not everyone’s cup of tea especially when you are planning to invest big bucks on it. Thus, from the time you contemplate purchasing any jewelry to making the final purchase, thorough research, price comparison and evaluation of products are imperative. For consumers who are not familiar with jewelleries, it is always advisable to seek assistance from family members, friends or someone with experience. One should not make rash decision in such matters and indulge in a transaction they later regret.


Below are a few tips for consumers when it comes to buying jewellery this Mother’s Day:

  1. Research the jewellery you are after – Check prices by visiting several jewellery
    outlets and use internet for more information. Find out the varieties in which jewellery
    is available. If you have any particular shop in mind where you want to purchase from-check the reputation of the shop;
  1. Check metal purity/quality – Consumers may be aware of the fact that not all jewellery is in their pure form and may be alloyed with other metals. Jewellery made of precious metals should be stamped in some way to show its purity, therefore, consumers should be raising questions if they do not see any stamps. Enquire about the jewellery’s contents. For example, if you are opting for:
    • Diamond – make sure to purchase from a jeweller you trust and if possible, have the stone appraised by another jeweller. When you are searching for facts and information on buying a diamond, look for the 4 C’s: cut, colour, clarity and carats (weight).
    • Gold- there are many different types and colours from rose to white. Enquire the karat of gold present in your jewellery. Commonly, gold jewellery also contains base metals as pure gold is too soft and will not keep its shape well over time. For example, 14 karat (14K) gold contains 14 parts of gold mixed with 10 parts of base metals. Also, differentiate between gold jewellery and gold-plated jewellery.
    • White Gold – although white gold is popular, it can have its problems. It is alloyed with a high quality metal such as platinum which will retain a good whiteness but if it is a low-quality nickel mix – it will need regular re-plating to maintain the shine. Jewellers must inform the consumers about re plating requirements before they sell the jewellery.
    • Gemstones/pearls – Know the difference between laboratory-created gemstones and naturally mined stones. Since both may look exactly alike it can be tricky to ascertain which is natural and which is not. The big difference is the cost. Man made gems are less expensive to make than stones created by Mother Nature

Purchasing baked goods and pastries
Apart from gifting jewelries, most Fijians will also be cutting cakes with their mothers to commemorate Mother’s Day along with enjoying their pastries and baked goods. Given its high demand, consumers are encouraged to take heed of the following tips when purchasing pastries and baked goods:

  1. Check for the freshness of the product by looking at baked on date of the baked goods;
  2. Look out for packaging defects such as tears or holes in the plastics;
  3. Ensure to check reviews if you are planning to purchase baked goods from an online baker;
  4. Compare prices. Products such as cake can costs up to hundreds of dollars;
  5. Ensure to check expiry dates/production dates for baked goods on specials;
  6. Read the ingredients to ensure the product does not consist of items that you may be allergic to and to view the sugar levels; and
  7. Consider baking homemade pastries as a special gesture of appreciation and to reduce costs.

Consumers coming across any unethical practices while doing their Mother’s Day shopping
are encouraged to contact the Council on toll-free number 155 or lodge a complaint using the
Consumer Council of Fiji mobile app.