Commerce Minister for daily essentials at fixed-priced shops
Staff Reporter :
State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu has advised consumers to buy their daily essentials from fixed-priced shops, emphasising that the prices offered in such shops are generally more affordable compared to those in traditional kitchen markets.
During a press briefing held at the secretariat on Thursday (March 14)) to address Consumer Rights Day, the state minister highlighted the special incentives provided by super shops and their fixed prices for Ramadan products.
He stressed the importance of protecting consumers’ interests, noting that fixed-priced shops clearly display the prices of their products, eliminating the need for bargaining often encountered in traditional kitchen markets.
Titu expressed his desire for kitchen markets to offer products at prices lower than those in super shops, pointing out that kitchen market traders do not incur the additional costs associated with maintaining air conditioning.
He advocated for standardisation in pricing and emphasised the need to regulate wholesalers, ensuring transparency in pricing through the issuance of vouchers detailing the prices offered to retailers.
Furthermore, Titu discussed ongoing efforts to develop software for monitoring the supply chain, which would enable authorities to track the movement of products from suppliers to retailers.
He addressed the issue of price disparities between farmers’ earnings and urban market rates, particularly highlighting concerns regarding eggplant prices.
The state minister concluded by mentioning collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Agriculture to strengthen marketing regulations and safeguard consumers’ interests.
