Stores cannot refuse to give change or give candies as substitute
Three days ago, I bought a can of milk for my son. Since the only cash I had at the time was aP 500.00 bill, that is what I used to pay at the grocery’ s cashier. The milk cost P 452.00, and so I thought the money that I had was just enough because the jeep neyf are from the grocery store to our house was P 8.00. I handed my money to the cashier and stood silent ly as I waited for my change. Then, the cashier handed me candies and told me that she ran out of change, but that the amount of the can dies is equivalent to the amount of my change. It old her that I needed my change because I will be using it for my jeep ne y ride. She said that I either accept the can dies, or just let go of the P 8.00 as she has no change. It old her that I need my change and stressed that I do not need can dies. Seemingly annoyed, she left her station and asked the other cashier to lend her some change.
I left as soon as she handed me my change. I wanted to further con front her, but my son was waiting for me and the milk that I was buying at the time. I still feel irritated until now so I want to know if stores are allowed to refuse to give change or substitute it with items like can dies. Pleaseadviseme. Blas Dear Blas,
Republic Act ( RA) 10909 or the No Shortchanging Act of 2016 strongly prohibits the act of shortchanging, that is, “giving insufficient or no change to a consumer who purchased a product or service.”( Section 3 ( i), Ibid.). Section 4 of RA 10909 provides:
“Regulated Acts. - It shall be the duty of the business establishment to give the exact change to the consumer without waiting for the consumer to ask for the same.
(a) In General. - It shall be unlawful for any business establishment to shortchange a consumer, even if such change is only of a small amount. xx x
( b) Other Prohibitions. - It shall also be unlawful for any business establishment which sells goods or provides services to give the change in any form other than the present currency or to ask the consumers for permission to be exempted from the provisions of this act for any reason, including the nonavailability of small bills or coins.” ( Emphasis supplied)
Accordingly, it is not only disallowed but it has been declared by law to be unlawful for business establishments, grocery stores included, to refuse from giving due change to their customers, or substitute such change with items even if these items have value. It is also unlawful for establishments to tell their customers, as the cashier did to you, to let go of the change, no matter how small the amount is. The law offers no exception. Hence, a them before the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), if they commit any of the prohibited acts. The period later than ten (10) working days after a violation has been committed. (Section 5, Id.) Corollary, penalties may be imposed upon them, as provided under Section 6 thereof, if it is established that they clearly failed to comply with the provisions of RA 10909.
Please note that the provisions of this law apply to all business establishments, regardless of whether they are registered or not. (Section 1, Rule II, Department Administrative Order No. 16-03, Series of 2016, Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 10909).
We hope that we were able to answer your queries. Please be reminded that this advice is based solely on the facts you have narrated and our appreciation of the same. Our opinion may vary when other facts are changed or elaborated.