Supermarkets still compliant with SRP: Trade chief

MANILA – Supermarkets have remained compliant with the suggested retail price (SRP) ahead of the Christmas holidays, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said.  In an interview during the Laging Handa briefing over PTV4 on Friday, Lopez said they continue to monitor prices and even came up with advertisements regarding the prices of specific goods.  “Sa ngayon po, wala po kaming natanggap na complaints. Katsi-check ko lang uli ngayong umaga at wala ho tayong complaints ng overpricing or at least iyong selling above the SRP (We have not yet received any complaint. I just checked this morning and we have not received any complaint on overpricing or at least selling above the SRP),” he said. Lopez said supermarkets are complying with the SRP by removing from their shelves items that are not in line with the SRP approved by the agency. “Iyan po ang ginagawa ng ating mga groceries and supermarkets kaya ho masasabi nating 100 percent ang implementation/compliance po nito (This is what the groceries and supermarkets are doing, that’s why we can say that implementation/compliance is 100 percent),” he added. Lopez said the agency is closely balancing the request of manufacturers to hike prices while protecting consumer welfare.  He said commodity prices were unchanged for about two years since the pandemic started and were only hiked by about 3 percent starting August this year.  (PNA)