NCC Issues Guidelines On Product Descriptions, Labelling, Sales Records And Price Disclosure for comment

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has issued the guidelines on Product Descriptions, Labelling, Issuance of Sales Records, and Price Disclosure Requirements, 2026 for comment. The aim is to guide suppliers, importers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers and service providers on compliance with the Consumer Protection Act (CPA). The guidelines are published against the backdrop of countrywide monitoring inspections conducted by the NCC between July 2024 and March 2026, which identified widespread non-compliance with the CPA, particularly among spaza shops and other small retail businesses. The inspections identified recurring non-compliance relating to the disclosure of information to consumers, including the failure to display prices of goods offered for sale, failure to issue sales records or issuing records that did not contain the required information, and offering goods for sale without adequate labels or product descriptions. The NCC also identified instances of misleading product information and inadequate disclosure to consumers. The guidelines are issued in terms of section 96(b) read with 22(3), to provide more clarity on the requirements of sections 22, 23, 24, 26, and 29 of the CPA that prescribe important requirements relating to the disclosure of information to consumers, trade descriptions, product labelling, price disclosure, and marketing practices and issuing of sales records. Members of the public and interested parties have forty-five days (until 31 October 2026) to provide written submissions. Written submissions may be forwarded to N.Ngobeni@thencc.org.za or J.Mbeje@thencc.org.za , and the gazette can be accessed here: https://thencc.org.za/guidelines/ Issued by: National Consumer Commission (NCC) For media enquiries, contact: Phetho Ntaba (Spokesperson) 082 809 2031/012 065 2040 Facebook: The National Consumer Commission LinkedIn: National Consumer Commission X Handle: @TheNCC_RSA WhatsApp Channel: @TheNCC_RSA