The business community has been urged to familiarise itself with the Liquor Act and the National Consumer Protection Policy to protect themselves and their businesses against unfair practices.

The call was made by the Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu, at a stakeholder engagement dealing with these two legal framework documents.

Weak or un-enforced consumer protection frameworks prolong cycles of poverty and social inequality. As a result, in 2021, the Consumer Protection Policy for 2020 to 2025 was launched as a means of protecting vulnerable consumers and ensuring a level playing field for all businesses.

Minister Iipumbu noted that Namibians are increasingly being exposed to sub-standard and even hazardous products, as well as low-quality service, among other unethical business practices.

The Liquor Act No.6 of 1998 was introduced to decentralise the process of licensing liquor outlets, to better serve those within the sector, to put an end to unlicensed cuca shops and address the problem of alcoholism in Namibian society.

The Act stipulates requirements such as: who may or may not apply for a liquor license; the kinds of businesses that may sell liquor; and the legal trading hours of liquor businesses.