CFT CONSULTS ON CONSUMER PROTECTION

The Competition and Fair-trading Commission held its 73rd meeting on 17th July 2025 to consider and adjudicate over cases on anti-competitive business practices and unfair conduct. 

The commission adjudicated over a total of 48 cases, out of 48 cases 27 cases were closed at preliminary stage due to among others, lack of merit and early resolution of the issues at hand. The Commission recommended nine mergers for authorization by the COMESA Competition Commission  

Specifically, three companies have been ordered to pay lines as a percentage of their annual gross revenue, as provided under the competition and Fair-Trading Act (CFTA). The Commission has also ordered companies to pay a total refund amounting to 4.1million Kwacha to consumers

Earlier this year ,the commission issued 13 interim orders to companies for conducts such as exploitative pricing in the sale of fertilizers ,bread and poultry feed , apart from having a significant progress on these cases the completion of the cases has been impinged upon by reasons beyond control such as court processes and inability of the respondents to provide concrete evidence for their conducts as requested by the commission 

Among the cases that have been decided during the meeting is the Assessment of the impact of the proposed acquisition of 25 percent minority shares from INFRACO Africa limited in Golomoti JCM solar corporation limited by Old mutual infrastructure investment fund