NCC: Draft Guidelines on CPA Labelling, Price Disclosure, and Sales Records

Posted 27 October 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Justice

Brought to you by SA Accounting Academy: In terms of the Consumer Protection Act, No. 68 of 2008 (CPA), the National Consumer Commission (NCC) has published draft guidelines detailing compliance standards for product descriptions, labelling, sales record issuance, and price disclosures.

The draft guidelines follow widespread non-compliance identified during nationwide market monitoring and inspections conducted between July 2024 and March 2026, with elevated levels of infringement observed across spaza shops, informal traders, and small retail establishments. While non-binding on the NCC, the National Consumer Tribunal, or the courts, the document outlines the baseline standards the regulator will apply during inspections and enforcement operations.

The scope of the guidelines encompasses the entire supply chain operating within South Africa, applying across:

  • Producers, manufacturers, importers, distributors, and wholesalers;
  • Physical retail outlets, supermarkets, and convenience stores;
  • Electronic commerce, online platforms, and digital marketplaces; and
  • Mobile and informal vendors supplying goods or services to consumers.

Suppliers that fail to align their operations with product description, labelling, and pricing standards face regulatory sanctions, including compliance notices, mandatory product recalls, administrative penalties levied via the National Consumer Tribunal, or formal referral for criminal prosecution.

Click here to download the 10-page Gazetted Guideline document.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: Review current advisory templates to ensure client audit and compliance checklists reflect NCC disclosure benchmarks on point-of-sale receipts and price displays.
  • For your business: Audit internal invoicing, billing descriptions, and fee transparency to ensure that all consumer-facing documentation satisfies the plain language and itemised record requirements of the CPA.
  • For your clients: Advise retail, wholesale, and e-commerce clients to audit product labelling, packaging claims, shelf-edge pricing, and point-of-sale receipt issuance to avoid NCC compliance notices, product recalls, or administrative fines.

Originally published at https://accountingacademy.co.za/news/read/ncc-consumer-protection-act-draft-guidelines-on-descriptions-and-price-disclosures

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