Government determined to build more responsible marketplace, states Minister Yeung Sik Yuen

Government’s resolve to build a more responsible, transparent and consumer-focused marketplace was reiterated today by the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Protection, Mr John Michaël Tzoun Sao Yeung Sik Yuen.

He was speaking at the opening ceremony of workshop which focused on product safety, organised by the Ministry of Commerce and Consumer Protection at the Caudan Arts Centre in Port Louis. Discussions covered consumer protection, standards and regulatory compliance.

In his address, Minister Sik Yuen described product safety as a central pillar of consumer protection, public health, responsible trade and economic confidence. He noted that while global trade has vastly expanded consumer choice, and greater accessibility to a variety of products, it has also created new risks. Substandard, counterfeit, unsafe, defective and non-compliant imported items are now reaching consumers faster and in greater volumes than in the past, he remarked.

The Minister emphasised that robust product safety frameworks, strict market surveillance, and strong consumer protection laws are therefore essential to prevent unsafe goods from reaching the market, enforcing supply chain transparency and accountability, and ensuring consumers are well-informed and empowered.

He stressed that Government remains fully committed to strengthening consumer protection and enhancing the overall safety framework governing products placed on the Mauritian market.

On that note, Mr Sik Yuen recalled that the Ministry has already implemented important regulatory and enforcement measures, such as the introduction of new Toys Safety Regulations and enhanced safety requirements for gas-fired water heaters, including obligations relating to exhaust systems and carbon monoxide detection measures.

Underlining the importance of regional cooperation and information sharing in modern consumer protection and market surveillance systems, Minister Sik Yuen informed that Mauritius has partnered with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Competition Commission on a number of important initiatives relating to consumer protection, competition regulation and market surveillance.

He reassured that in view of evolving challenges, Government will continue to strengthen institutional capacity, modernise enforcement mechanisms, improve market surveillance systems and reinforce collaboration with national and international stakeholders in order to better protect Mauritian consumers.

The Minister also dwelt on the elaboration of a new comprehensive Consumer Protection Bill, with the objective of building a fairer, safer, more transparent and more responsible marketplace that strengthens consumer confidence while also supporting responsible businesses and sustainable economic development.

27 May 2026

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Topics: Commerce