candy as change?

Tweet

one form of consumer deception is commercial establishments giving out candies in place of real change, according to a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) advisory. so you have the right not to accept candies as change. this has been going on in the philippines for quite some time now and because some of us are ignorant of our laws, we allow it to happen. candies are not legal tender and should not be used as substitute for notes and coins issued by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, said the DTI. according to the advisory, Article 50 of the Consumer Act holds that giving candies as change is a deceptive sales act because the consumer is induced into a transaction through concealment, false representation or fraudulent manipulation, for example, the argument of shortage of coins. if indeed the cashier does not have enough coins, she must first ask the consumer if he will agree to take candy. the consumer’s consent makes the transaction legal then. this practice is not encouraged. unless of course, it’s the kind you absolutely can’t refuse. but imagine just how rich we are all making the storeowners if all 84 million Filipinos accepted candy while they keep our loose change—5 centavos, 10 centavos, even 25 centavos. just think! one centavo from each of us alone is already P84 million! coins are no small matter. without one centavo, you cannot complete one peso.