Monday, October 09, 2006 Councilor seeks DTI probe on ‘deceptive’ promotions
WITH ongoing pre-Christmas sales and other gimmicks in department stores, a Cebu City legislator warned the public against “deceptive and shady” sales promos.
Councilor Edgardo Labella said consumers are frequently misled by promotional tactics that violate the Consumers’ Welfare Act of the Philippines.
The councilor received complaints that some business establishments in the city are giving away “free” gifts to entice customers to buy products from certain companies.
He cited a promo of a department store in Cebu City where shoppers are given raffle tickets or cards to scratch, which contain winning numbers.
Labella said that to an unmindful customer, the promotion scheme seems reasonable. But once the shopper is informed that he won an expensive gift such as a wristwatch from the establishment, he is advised to buy an item before he can get their prize.
“Several consumers who had fallen prey to the said promotion tactics complained that the products offered for sale are steeply priced, so they end up buying the so-called free gifts they had supposedly won,” he said.
Labella also warned the public against salespersons who try to con the winning consumers to reveal the identification numbers of their credit cards “through subtle means of deception.”
In a proposed resolution, Labella asked the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to immediately investigate the reported deceptive pre-Christmas promotion gimmicks in the city.
“Undeniably, the reported shady sales act, which is done in various ways, is grossly inimical to the rights and interests of consumers as provided in the Consumers Welfare Act,” he said.
The Cebu City Council will discuss Labella’s proposed resolutions during their regular session on Wednesday. (LCR)
