This is in adherence to the 2014 Consumer Protection Law, which states that businesses must provide information and a guide on how their products should be consumed or used. This must be provided in Myanmar language while other languages may also be included, the committee said.

The required information includes usage instructions such as the right dosage for medicines and a proper how-to-use manual for electronics and other tools and gadgets. It must also include details on where the product is manufactured, according to the committee’s announcement. .

Businesses will have six months to comply with the official notification, once it is released. No date was given as to when this will take place.

Businesses found to be in breach of the notification will be liable to punishment under the Consumer Protection Law.

Currently, instructions provided by companies on how to use their products are limited or non-existent. As such, consumers bear the risk of misusing products such as medicines, electronics and products made specifically for children.

“As such, we welcome the committee’ move. This should have been enforced a long time ago, since the Consumer Protection Law was enacted in 2014. After the notification is released, the government will raise efforts to enforce the rule and punish those in breach,” said U Maung Maung, secretary of Myanmar Consumers Union.