Minister Iswaran's Written Reply to PQ on Actions by CASE against Errant Vendors and Retailers

Question

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong:  Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry), how many legal actions have been brought by CASE against errant vendors and/or retailers in 2005 to 2015 and what proportion resulted in the courts taking action against these vendors/retailers.

Written Answer (attributed to Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry))

From 2005 to 2015, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) filed six injunction applications in the courts against recalcitrant errant suppliers. All six applications resulted in the courts issuing injunction orders on the suppliers restraining them from carrying out the specified unfair practices such as making untrue statements to consumers about the availability or origin of the goods which the supplier was selling.

Injunctions are the last resort in a spectrum of actions that can be taken against errant retailers under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act. Before filing an injunction application in the courts, CASE may facilitate mediation between suppliers and consumers to reach mutually agreed outcomes. CASE may also propose that suppliers enter into voluntary compliance agreements (VCAs) to stop the specified unfair practices and compensate consumers. In most cases, errant retailers cease the unfair practices after mediation and/or entering into a VCA. In such instances, CASE does not need to file for injunctions against them. Over the same period, from 2005 to 2015, CASE facilitated about 1,700 mediation cases and entered into 17 VCAs.