The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has issued a total of 167 (one hundred and sixty-seven) compliance notices to suppliers found to be in contravention of the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) during the first half of the financial year (April 2026 to September 2026). The enforcement action was taken following the NCC’s market monitoring inspections in Gauteng, Limpopo, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces, conducted alongside other regulatory authorities and law enforcement agencies.
Compliance notices form part of the NCC’s ongoing efforts to ensure that suppliers comply with the requirements of the CPA and that consumers are protected against potentially harmful business practices.
The inspections revealed widespread contraventions of the CPA, including non-disclosure of information, trade descriptions and the supply of unsafe goods to consumers. Of the stores inspected, the NCC discovered contraventions of sections 14, 16, 22, 48, 23, 24, 24, 26, 26, 56 or 55 of the CPA, as well as section 24(3), read with regulation 6. These provisions address requirements relating to the display and disclosure of prices, trade descriptions, product labelling and the consumer’s right to receive goods that meet the standards as prescribed by the CPA. The precise contraventions differ from one supplier to another and are set out in the respective compliance notices.
The inspections covered a range of businesses, including supermarkets, mini-markets, general dealers, cash-and-carry stores, tuck shops, wholesalers, butcheries, takeaway outlets, clothing retailers, cosmetics suppliers, hardware businesses and other retail establishments.
A compliance notice is a formal enforcement measure that requires a supplier to address identified contraventions of the CPA. Suppliers are expected to take the corrective action specified in their respective notices and comply with the requirements of the CPA. Where a supplier fails to comply with a compliance notice, the NCC may take further enforcement steps, including referring the matter to the National Consumer Tribunal for an appropriate order. Such proceedings may result in an administrative fine or other relief permitted by the CPA.
Acting Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu said: “Suppliers, particularly of foodstuffs, are urged to comply with the CPA, as failure to do so not only has consequences against a supplier but also puts consumers’ health at risk.”
The NCC reminds suppliers of goods and services that compliance with the provisions of the CPA is an obligation for every supplier.
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