Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said has advised consumers to exercise their rights, be informed, make their voice heard and act responsibly. On the other hand, business owners must continue to follow good business practices so as to strengthen consumer trust.

Piloting a Bill in second reading for the setting up of the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority, Dr Said said the new authority aimed to strengthen the trust between consumers and traders and ensure that markets functioned better. Competition brought about competitive prices, wider choice and better quality for the consumer.

Dr Said said the government had put the consumer at the very top of its agenda – so much so that the PN electoral manifesto had a whole section dedicated to the subject. Consumers must be given a fair deal – not just where prices are concerned but also in the standards of products and the levels of service. It wanted this authority to have a good legal framework to react to today’s needs.

Consumers’ education did not stop at their rights on after sales service. There were other aspects consumers must be aware of, like e-commerce, which has become an integral part of life. According to an EU survey, last year, the Maltese were second, percentage-wise, in the list of countries purchasing online. It showed that 34 per cent bought more than once products or services over the internet while 61 per cent of those aged between 16 and 24 bought from non-EU-member states.

This confirmed the need that consumers must be aware of their rights and obligations. Shop owners had an important role and both stood to benefit in the equation.

Dr Said congratulated the Malta Standards Authority for its implementation of the E50 mark whereby European vehicle traders obtaining this mark were entitled to sell their vehicles within all EU countries.

Another entity under the Institute for Standards and Metrology would be responsible for metrology practices thereby providing services to industries in ensuring proper calibration of instruments used by the different sectors.

A legal metrology will also be introduced to protect individuals from mistaken or fraudulent measurements. These would first include fuel pumps, gas cylinders, taxi meters and speed cameras, but further items were expected to be included at a later date.

The directorate would also provide standardisation of measurements and provide for traceability.

In 2010 the Authority published about 2,500 standards raising the number of published standards to over 20,000.