Cheap things come at a cost, beware

There is no gainsaying that cheap things really cost, and that no one really wants to be associated with mediocrity.

That is why, in all things, whether at work, in the home, church or any place one finds himself or herself, we become choosy as far as the people we mingle with or the things we patronise are concerned.

Following from this, we can say that keeping standards is an important component of our everyday lives.

Standards are crucial for consumer protection too. They create access to a greater choice in goods and services, improved quality, reliability, among other benefits, not only to the populace but industry as well.

With Christmas just two days away, one can be sure that many consumers will fall prey to the numerous counterfeit and unwholesome products that will flood the markets.

Many consumers go to the market to purchase items without looking at the essential details of the products, including the expiry date, language in which the product information is written, among others, but are moved by the outward packaging of the items.

The ecstasy of shopping during this period compounds the problem of consumers, who buy anything for the Christmas, only to find out later, on reaching home, that what they bought is a fake product.

The Daily Graphic is aware of efforts by the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to fight the emerging threat to lives by embarking on educational campaigns and enforcement operations to confiscate some of these substandard goods.

Both consumers and manufacturers are at risk because of the influx of counterfeit and substandard goods onto the market. For, whereas consumers risk death or ailments that might deform them, genuine manufacturers lose out on the market because their products are considered expensive.

The substandard electrical appliances, textiles, mattresses and used items come in handy, and many consumers prefer purchasing them to buying genuine products.

Ghana, in 2011, banned the sale of second-hand underwear, handkerchiefs and mattresses due to rising health concerns, but the products are still on sale due to the high consumer demand as a result of their being cheaper than locally produced items.

This is why consumers must seriously consider the health implications and the danger the purchase and use of such substandards products pose to the nation.

The Daily Graphic encourages the regulatory agencies to intensify their market surveillance to ensure that products on the market are wholesome and meet standards.

Consumers, regulatory agencies and manufacturers must team up to deal with the problem of counterfeit products.