Consumer Protection Act: Draft Guidelines on Labelling, Price Disclosure, and Sales Records

Posted 18 September 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Trade

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has published draft guidelines under the Consumer Protection Act, No. 68 of 2008 governing product descriptions, labelling, price disclosure, and the mandatory issuance of sales records, calling for public comment.

Published pursuant to the enforcement and oversight mandate of the Consumer Protection Act, No. 68 of 2008, the proposed guidelines aim to establish standardised compliance across retail sectors following findings of widespread non-compliance during nationwide monitoring inspections. The Commission noted specific vulnerability and contraventions within small retail businesses and spaza shops.

The draft guidelines outline mandatory compliance measures relating to:

  • Accurate product and trade descriptions to prevent consumer deception regarding origin, nature, or characteristics;
  • Mandatory shelf and unit price disclosures in accordance with statutory pricing requirements; and
  • The lawful issuance of full, transparent sales records at the point of transaction.

Public representations and written submissions on the draft guidelines must be submitted to the National Consumer Commission by 2 November 2026.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: Review the draft provisions to understand impending regulatory interpretations and enforcement thresholds applied by the NCC during retail compliance audits.
  • For your business: Update compliance audit programmes and consumer law advisory checklists to incorporate NCC guidance on point-of-sale documentation and trade descriptions.
  • For your clients: Retailers and consumer goods suppliers must inspect shelf pricing mechanisms, product packaging labels, and point-of-sale receipt systems to ensure compliance with CPA requirements before final promulgation.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/consumer-protection-labelling-product-description-price-disclosure-sales-record-guidelines-out-for-comment

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