The new primary and secondary school year heralds new opportunities for students to broaden their horizons and set themselves up for success.  During this time parents will do back to school shopping in order to adequately prepare their children for the school year. Therefore it is important to note that your back to school purchases […]

Towards the end of the year many consumers will look to take advantage of deals being offered by companies that retail mobile phones. And while many consumers will get good deals, the Council is aware that there are some unscrupulous traders who will retail products of inferior quality in efforts to fleece consumers and take […]

The extension of the Rent Freeze Order to December 31, 2019 should keep landlords away from nonsensically increasing rents and ensure that residential tenants are not forced to pay increased rent in 2019. Under the rent freeze, property owners who have let out their premises for residential tenancy cannot increase rent until December 31, 2019. […]

Buying a car is an investment. Consumers pay large amounts of money to purchase a car because it is an investment into their future. Most times individuals take years to save before they can pay for a car or its deposit at least.When unscrupulous businesses take consumers hard earned money under the guise of being […]

It’s a situation that many Fijians are familiar with. You are in a tight spot financially and need immediate funds to pay urgent bills or fulfil your social responsibilities. The process of applying for a bank loan may take too long and the reality is that consumers may not meet the minimum requirements to make […]

Photography is an art form. A medium that many people use to capture memories and ensure that they remain timeless. And in recent years, the rise in the number of local professional photographers has given Fijians the opportunity to capture their special occasions in stills and video. There is a lot of skill and creativity […]

When expatriates or tourists visit a foreign country and seek to make a financial transaction they usually gravitate towards a bank they are familiar with. For many it would be natural to assume that the services they are accustomed to would be replicated across all branches in foreign countries. This was not the case however […]

CONSUMERS bring self-import vehicles into the country for many reasons. Considerations on price as well as preference for a certain vehicle models are often at the heart of the decisions to self-import. However, consumers may not be aware that there are certain limitations to purchasing a self-import vehicle. One of these limitations is that once […]

EGGS are a popular source of protein in Fiji.Due to its popularity at meal times, eggs are strictly regulated under the Food Safety Act 2003 to ensure that they meet certain standards and also to ensure that they are safe for consumption. Sadly, some traders do not adhere to standards when displaying and selling eggs. […]

In a quickly advancing digital world, mobile phones are fast becoming a necessity for all. There are myriad of functions that can be performed using mobile phones. In a modern world they now play an integral role in consumers’ day to day living. Almost every day new advances in technology are increasing the functions that […]

Electronic goods and household items have over the years made family lives a whole lot easier in managing their household routines. Many consumers, to have a better life, have heavily invested in goods such as washing machines, cooking stoves, electrical kettles, refrigerators, solar system and so much more.  Owning electronic goods or newly purchased household […]

Fraudulent transactions in the exchange of goods and services rob consumers of substantial amounts of money and time, causing unnecessary hassle and hardship. These types of transactions occur when goods are not fully supplied to the consumer as recorded by traders or consumers are overcharged for items without their knowledge. Overcharging of items is most […]

The large number of traders offering products on Hire Purchase (HP) has allowed many consumers the chance to own goods they would otherwise have had to save up for. This convenient means of purchasing items has been utilized by many consumers. Different traders offer better terms on hire purchase deals in the hope of getting […]

Hiring a security company to guard a home or premises is something that consumers do to give themselves peace of mind. In a perfect world, crime would be non-existent. There would be no need for these services, however, the reality is that these companies provide a much needed service keeping homes and people safe from […]

As consumers, we contemplate about the taxes levied on our groceries, bills, the service we use, salary etc. But what about the taxes you would not always find appended on to the end of your receipts or taxes that you did not know existed? While spending, consumers need to be aware of the types of […]