Bagan datuk: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) has rolled out a Response and Reward Programme aimed at enforcing compliance with price tagging and safeguarding consumer rights in the retail sector.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Datuk Kamalludin Ismail, the state director, stated that the initiative, which began in September 2025 at the Econsave Hypermarket Hutan Melintang near Bagan Datuk, has effectively reduced consumer complaints handled by the KPDN Teluk Intan Branch. The programme allows consumers to verify shelf prices and report any discrepancies if the checkout price exceeds the displayed one, enabling them to purchase the item at the lower displayed price and receive a reward from the trader.

Kamalludin detailed that the supermarket is obligated to immediately rectify any price tag inaccuracies. He explained this during a press conference following an inspection of the Christmas 2025 Festive Season Maximum Price Scheme (SHMMP), held alongside the Response and Reward, Complaint Digitalisation Education, and Consumer Rights Awareness programme at the Econsave Hypermarket.

The programme serves as a self-regulatory mechanism for traders, ensuring adherence to legal standards and promoting ethical business practices. This is particularly critical for large-scale supermarkets with inventories of up to 15,000 items. Kamalludin added that the programme partners with student consumer movements from Kolej Komuniti Bagan Datuk and Kolej Komuniti Teluk Intan, who manage the electronic complaint system and create educational materials to raise consumer rights awareness.

Participants of the Response and Reward Programme have reported positive experiences. Nabila Saadon, 35, lodged a complaint after identifying a discrepancy between the displayed price and checkout amount, which the Econsave management promptly acknowledged. Mohamad Razman Jaafar, 24, noted that the process was straightforward and expressed surprise at being recognized and rewarded for filing his report.