Both events have been initiated and organised by the CAA.
SLRA with its motto ‘Connecting Retailers to Create Value for Consumers’ is under formation and pioneered by leading retailers Abans, Keells Super, Cargills Food City, Laugfs, Healthguard, Swarnamahal Jewelers, No Limit, Cool Planet, DSI and Hameedia.
Deputy Managing Director of the Hameedia Group and Lead Convener of the SLRA Hussain Sadique hailed with enthusiasm the initiative of the CAA Chairman Hasitha Tillekeratne and proposed a ‘Consumer Shoppers Week’ to coincide with the campaign during this period by offering discounts, benefits and other special offers and educating and promoting Consumer Rights through its prospective membership.
“With climate change and environmental impacts, consumers have become more concerned of their consumption choices and how these impact health, environment and societies. Within this context corporates need to intensify its research and development in food quality, safety and nutrition while enhancing savings to consumers.
This awareness week is all about building a consumer-centric market - taking the power knowledge to the consumer and we are delighted to support this engagement with the Consumer Affairs Authority”, said Sidath Kodikara of Cargills Foods Company.
World Consumer Rights Day was founded and inspired by a speech made by former US President, John F. Kennedy on 15th March, 1962 to the United States Congress in which he inscribed four basic consumer rights, consequenting the US Consumer Bill of Rights.
The United Nations through the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection expanded these into eight rights, and thereafter Consumers International adopted these rights as a charter and started recognizing March 15 as World Consumer Rights Day.
Following Global Voice for Consumers, Consumers International, the CAA will commemorate World Consumer Rights Day 2016 with the theme - ‘Crown the Consumer’ - and promote the National Consumer Rewards week with several consumer rights awareness activities including a Consumer Forum focusing on this year’s International theme - ‘Antibiotics off the Menu’.
The SLRA envisage joining this initiative in future as a retailer activity to enhance value to consumers.
This will be one of the key events of the Association in its annual calendar of activities.
Going forward the SLRA will look to launching Sri Lankan shopping promotions and festivals to attract tourists just like in other countries in the region such as Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, Malaysia.etc..
Members of the retail industry are invited to participate in this national campaign. For more information, please contact Ms. Shakila Weerasinghe on 0765429776 of the Consumer Affairs Authority or the Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association (SLRA) Secretariat: No. 30, Amarasekara Mawatha, Colombo 5. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or Mr. Leonard Perera, Project Manager, Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association on 0727 354 880.
Photo : (From L-R) Ms. Chandrika Tillekeratne (CAA Director-Consumer Affairs & Information), Dr. M.M. Hilmy (CAA Executive Director), Mr. A.H.M. Anwer (CAA Executive Director), Mr. Hasitha Tillekeratne (CAA Chairman), Mr. Hussain Sadique, (Deputy MD – Hameedia Group / Lead Convener of Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association - SLRA), Mr. A. Wickremage (COO – LAUGFS Supermarkets Pvt. Ltd) Mr. Charitha Subasinghe (CEO – Jaykay Marketing Pvt.Ltd - Keells Super), Mr. Chaminda Wijesinghe (DGM – LAUGFS Supermarkets Pvt. Ltd) and Mr. Leonard Perera (Retailers-Connect).