THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has warned consumers in Negros Occidental about illegal sales promotions perpetrated by unscrupulous retailers during holiday season.
Lea Gonzales, provincial director of DTI-Negros Occidental, on Thursday said that establishments are required to secure permits from the agency before conducting any kind of sales promotion activities.
“This is to protect consumers from fraudulent businesses that may take advantage of holidays to increase their revenues,” Gonzales said.
Under DTI’s guidelines, promotions for print-ads and flyers can only be printed if an establishment has secured a sales promo permit.
Before the issuance of the permit, establishment should submit first the letter of request which includes the mechanics and the guidelines of the promotions as well as the kind of prizes to be given.
The validity of the mechanics will be determined based on the existing Consumer Act and Price Act, it added.
For specific promotional activity like raffle, Gonzales said after issuing the sales promo permit, DTI will send a representative to observe the actual draw and ensure that mechanics are followed by the establishment.
The representative then reports through an “activity report” that the sales promotion and raffle has been conducted fairly, Gonzales said.
“Whatever prizes to be given to the winners indicated in the sales promo request submitted and approved by DTI should be strictly followed by the establishment,” Gonzales said.
Even a simple change on the mechanics of the promo including forfeited prizes must also be reported to the agency before the establishment modifies their sales promotion or raffle, she stressed.
DTI’s monitoring of sales promotion activities is the agency’s measures to protect not only the consumers but also the legitimate business establishments, the provincial director added.