Actions against Businesses Flouting Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act and List of Specific Unfair Practices

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) in the past five years, how many enforcement actions has the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore conducted against errant businesses that flout the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (CPFTA); and (b) whether the Ministry can provide a breakdown in accordance with the list of specific unfair practices as specified in the Second Schedule of the CPFTA.

Since 2020, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) has taken enforcement action in 16 cases against 30 suppliers for engaging in unfair practices under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (CPFTA). CCCS issued a warning for 12 of these 16 cases, which were resolved through voluntary undertakings by suppliers to cease any unfair practices. For the remaining four cases, CCCS did so by obtaining Court declarations and injunctions.

Most of the cases CCCS took enforcement action against involved multiple misleading and false representations under section 4 of the CPFTA. The breakdown of the top five specific unfair practices under the Second Schedule of the CPFTA since 2020 is provided in the table below.