NAIROBI, Kenya, April 6 – The Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) has said that it is not mandated to handle instances where supermarkets give customers sweets due to change constraints.
The competition watchdog instead said that since the matter involves money, the Central Bank of Kenya was in the right position to solve it.
CAK issued the directive after a customer in Nakuru filed a complaint with it after the Naivas supermarket in Nakuru (Super Centre Branch) declined to cancel a transaction after he refused to take sweets as change.
“The Complainant went to Naivas supermarket Nakuru (Super Centre Branch) and did some shopping. Upon making the payment, the cashier gave him some change which was less than what he expected,” CAK says.
“On insisting that he needed his full change, the cashier gave him some two sweets which he declined and requested him to cancel the transaction due to lack of change on the part of the supermar- ket. Instead, the cashier declined.”
Recently, cases of Kenyan supermarkets issuing customers sweets instead of change have been rising in the country, even without the customers consent.
“The matter was found not to be within the mandate of the Authority since the complaint was involves legal tender issue,” it added.
“The complainant was advised to pursue the matter with the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK). The case was closed.”
