Office of Consumer Protection under the Ministry of Economic Affairs imposed a fine of Nu 2,600 to a vegetable vendor in Phaling town in Lhuentse for charging an exorbitant price for local green chilli to the costumers on Tuesday.
The vendor was asked to pay the fine within fourteen days from the date of issuance of the letter. The market surveillance and monitoring team from Lhuentse upon inspection found out that a vegetable vendor charged double the amount for local chilli in Phaling town last week. Sources say the vendor bought the chilli from a local vegetable grower in Lhuentseby paying Nu 250 for a kilogram and sold few kilograms at Nu 500.
A letter from the Ministry of Economic Affairs states that the vendor violated section 4,7,8 and 30 of the Consumer Protection Act 2012 and also failed to abide by the government’s notifications to avoid charging unreasonable prices taking undue advantage of the current situation.
