Consumers’ need for food and groceries increases as Winter Solstice and Christmas approach, Consumer Council surveyed supermarkets on 19th December for its latest ‘Supermarket Price Survey Report’. In comparison with data recorded earlier this month, average price of over 100 surveyed samples have dropped, though prices of certain rice and cooking oil brands continue to rise.

In the current report, 105 out of the 200 surveyed samples recorded a drop in average price from less that 1 per cent to 5 per cent; these samples include canned food, cereal products, dairy products and beverages. Milk powder, which was found to have significant price increase last time, now records a slight decrease in average price of up to 10 per cent, though average price of ‘Enfamil Infant Formula with Iron – 1 (900g)’ still records a price increase of over 10 per cent. Further, no change in price has been observed in 48 samples during the last two weeks.

For rice, prices of Thai rice brands tend to remain stable though price increases are observed in 4 specific brands; other rice brands record price decreases from 1 to 2 per cent. Average price of 6 cooking oil samples have risen while 8 other samples have dropped by almost 6 per cent.

The Council will continue to keep an eye on the current price trend and provide information to consumers for reference.

The latest ‘Supermarket Price Survey Report’ is now accessible on the Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo) It is also available free of charge at the two offices of the Consumer Council, bookstores and libraries. Consumers may also access the resources online at the Council’s official website (http://www.consumer.gov.mo) or through WAP channels on their mobile phones. For enquiry, please call 8988 9315