BACOLOD City – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is monitoring regularly the prices of Noche Buena items in Negros Occidental, weeks ahead of the Christmas holidays.
DTI-Negros Occidental provincial director Lea Gonzales said on Monday they want to ensure that establishments are complying with the suggested retail prices (SRPs).
The monitoring team has been checking the stores since the release of the new SRPs for “added products” last October 13, she said.
“As of now, stores are still compliant with the SRPs set for Noche Buena items,” she noted.
Gonzales said Noche Buena items are considered “added products” because these are not included in necessities and prime commodities regularly monitored by the DTI.
The new SRPs for Noche Buena products list the price of sandwich spread at P20.25 to P205.80 depending on net weight and brands, mayonnaise in pouch and jar costs P28 to P283, price of 500-gram ham ranges from P137 to P949, and fruit cocktail costs P49 to P225 for 432 grams.
For cheese, various brands of 44 grams to 950 grams are sold at PPH48.50 to P265 while price of queso de bola ranges from P169 to P495.
Also listed as Noche Buena items are brands of elbow and salad macaroni with prices from P15.25 to P92.75 for 200 grams to one kilogram; spaghetti sauce, P22 to P77 for 250 grams to one kilogram; tomato sauce, P12.25 to P81 for 115 grams to one kilogram; and creamer, P49.50 to P69 for 250 milliliter (ml) to 410 ml.
Gonzales said supermarkets and similar establishments may still increase the price provided it should not be more than 10 percent of the SRPs.
She warned that erring stores will be issued show cause order and required to explain why it imposed higher prices. (PNA)
