A recent Consumer Council (CC) survey shows price differences for the same products of between 10 to 30 percent in supermarkets and price differences between same-brand convenience stores in different districts, the council said in a statement on Sunday.
The statement said that in recent months the council has conducted additional surveys of supermarket goods and prices of various types of daily necessities and food supplies to protect residents’ consumer rights during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the prices of rice, cereals, cooking oil, cans, beverages and household cleaning products surveyed in the first quarter, the average price of individual brands of canned food varied by between 10 to 20 percent.
The market was affected by some supply issues in the first quarter, but overall supermarket prices remained stable, the statement said.
The statement pointed out that consumers can consult the council’s “supermarket price information platform” which shows the different prices of goods in different supermarkets and other retail outlets when preparing to go shopping.
The platform provides information in Chinese, English and Portuguese. Consumers can log into the council’s website www.consumer.gov.mo and scan the QR code to download the “supermarket price information platform” application or access the “price inquiry” in the council’s WeChat account.
The council’s enquiry hotline is 8988 9315.
This undated handout photo provided by the Consumer Council (CC) on Sunday shows a CC staff member recording edible oil prices in a local supermarket.
