GIVING THE EXACT CHANGE
As I was paying for my groceries, I took a 500 peso bill out of my wallet and gave it to the cashier. I was billed 497.75 so my change should be 2.25. She gave me P2 and called the next customer in the line. I pondered for at least a few seconds whether to ask her for the twenty-five centavos or not. As I was in a hurry, I did not bother to ask her and left the establishment.
Some of the cashiers do not have one centavo, five centavo, and ten centavo coins. They seldom even have twenty-five centavo coins, instead, they offer small items like candy to make up for it. Instead of getting the exact change, they offer a product which we do not like and gain profit from it. These manipulative practices give undue advantage to the seller and put the customer in an awkward position. Would you ask a cashier to give you a five centavo change? I bet you would be too shy to do it.
The lack of coins is a lame excuse since businesses can ask banks for a supply of coins. If you cannot give the exact change or lacks the capacity to do so then do not put price tags like 99.95, etc. These deceptive practices deprive Filipinos to the exact change. In light of the recent order of the BIR to tax online sellers, they should also check big companies and establishments if they follow the laws especially with the No Shortchanging Act of 2016.
Section 2 (a) of RA 10909 states one of its objectives,“Protection of consumers against deceptive, unfair and unconscionable sales acts and practices”. According to this law, it is the duty of a business or service provider to give an exact exchange to the consumer without waiting for the consumer to ask for the same. Furthermore, they cannot refuse to give change to those who are buying their products. This law also requires signs on every counter that state “a Demand your exact change”, do we see this in Bohol?
With this, anyone who wishes to file a complaint may do so within ten working days of the violation and all complaints will be filed at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Anyone found to have violated the law will be fined P500 for the first offense. Repeat offenders will be fined P15,000 and their license to operate will be suspended for three months. A third offense will incur a fine of P25,000 and the revocation of their license to operate.
So customers, make sure to ask for the exact change before you leave the counter. With this, the culture of giving an exact change will sprout.