The Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) has introduced a voluntary trustmark scheme to promote and safeguard customers’ interests by helping them identify all those who promise to abide by a code of conduct where customers’ interests are safeguarded. This is another initiative intended to strengthen trust between consumers and traders, which after all is the ethos of the new authority set up last May.
Participation in the scheme is open to all those who get in contact with people, whether they are service providers, retail outlets and NGOs. The scheme launched last week by Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said is undergoing a trial period until the end of the year.
The scheme is very simple to follow and the only commitment by those subscribing to it is to provide consumers with value for money or, in the case of NGOs, the support or service the organisation was set up to give in the first place. Bureaucracy will be kept at a minimum. I dare say, paperwork is almost non-existent. In contrast to other certification schemes, no reports, documentation or records need to be kept to satisfy participation in the scheme, except those required by law. This will facilitate participation in the scheme of micro enterprises as well as NGOs.
To participate, one has to sign a self-declaration that he will be abiding by the Trust You Code of Conduct at all times, in the interests of the customer and in compliance with minimum legal requirements. This code will be displayed in a prominent position in the establishment for the information of the consumers and for participants to be reminded of their obligations by subscribing to the scheme. Furthermore, a Trust You logo will be made available to be used by participants. The display of the logo on advertising material, establishment’s doors, shop windows and websites will indicate participation in the scheme.
The code covers the whole service/product acquisition cycle, namely: Enticing – the promotional and advertising stage; Negotiating – the pre-procurement stage; Purchasing – procurement stage; and after-sales – post procurement stage.
Those participating in the scheme will be benefiting from free advertising by the authority and support such as information and training for their employees. However, the major benefits will be customer loyalty, trust and confidence as participation in the scheme will be clearly identifying all those who care for their customers.
The authority will be monitoring those participating in the scheme closely; however, another source of monitoring will be from complaints received by customers. If participants fail to observe the clauses of the code, their participation will be terminated.
The authority is already accepting applications. Further information may be obtainined by e-mail: fair.trading@gov.mt.