News

The Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI) supported the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development (MTED) to hold consultations in Vava’u, Tonga in September 2024. The consultations brought together representatives from local businesses, the island government, and the Government of Tonga, to discuss strengthening Tonga’s consumer protection framework.

The consultations were part of PSDI’s ongoing support to improve Tonga’s competition and consumer protection framework, which will lead to lower prices, wider consumer choice, and superior product quality. This includes PSDI support for MTED to review and modernize Tonga’s current Consumer Protection Act.

The Vava’u sessions followed earlier consultations in Nuku’alofa in July 2024. MTED’s chief executive officer, Ms Distaquaine Tuihalamaka, highlighted that consumer empowerment relies on a robust consumer protection act.

The consultations revealed common concerns among participants, including inconsistent standards and labelling of imported products, and fluctuating prices for the same item from morning to night. Spokespeople from government departments also highlighted a need to provide training to inspectors on handling scams, strengthen the government’s interagency taskforce program, and increase capacity and resources to conduct more frequent inspections of retail shops.

Feedback from the discussions will inform the development of the national consumer protection act. 

Ms Sandra Fifita from the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development presented to consultation participants.