Consumers’ Institute to become private

Press, 5 December 1988, Page 4

Consumers’ Institute to become private

By

SARONA IOSEFA

When the consumer council is dissolved by law on December 31, the Consumers’ Institute becomes a private consumer association similar to the Automobile Association.

From December 31, all consumer complaints will be directed to the Minis-

try of Consumer Affairs. The primary function of the Consumers’ Institute will be to look after the interest of its members and test products for all consumers, i “Consumer” magazine

will continue as before with the recent addition of a “Consumer Home and Garden” quarterly magazine.

The complaints officer for Consumers’ Institute,

Mr Maurice Smith, said he would not miss many of the more aggressive complaint calls. As the complaints officer for seven years, he had often felt like the scapegoat when he did not agree with caller’s complaints, he said.

One of his more memorable complaints was when a retailer refused to replace a teapot because she was

sure the consumer had “put hot water in it, thereby damaging it.” Another complaint came from some young women who had gone to a shop complaining that bathing suits they had bought there were seethrough. “But, of course they are, you’re not meant to swim in them, they’re bathing suits,” was the reply. ’