THE LEGAL EFFECTS OF CONSUMER PROTECTION LAW IN ZANZIBAR

Abstract

Consumer is an important person or organization who is direct or indirect user of the product since that they are basic economic entities in business. Consumer protection started long time ago when it seems that some of the rights of the consumer is violated example right to safety through marketing of goods which are dangerous to health, right to be informed against fraudulent, misleading information, advertising and labelling, right to choose the quality of services and right to be heard in the side of formulation of government policies and regulations that protects consumer interests. The concept of consumer protection was first introduced by John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States on 15th March, 1962 with the aim of protecting basic rights that are violated intentionally or by mistake. In order the protection to be effective State should formulate different laws and regulations that can protect consumer in their daily business. The Government of Zanzibar after realizing that the right of consumer is at risk decided to establish the Act which is known as the Fair Trading and Consumer protection of 1995 and in 2018 The fair Competition and Consumer Protection Act was re-enacted. This Act succeeded to protect consumer against counterfeit goods and unsafe goods, misuse of market power, anti-competitive trade practices, merger and acquisition and bait advertising as well as the law of Zanzibar succeeded to guarantee price structure, product guarantee and product recall but it failed to protect consumer against online consumer protection on e-commerce especially in this current life of Information and Communication Technology, so that the government should consider this area for the purpose of protecting consumer because e-commerce is a current issue in the world.