DTI rejects consumer group’s claim

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) denied a consumer group’s claim that the prices of dozens of items classified as basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPCs), including fish, meat and milk, increased in the first eight months of 2018.

In a statement on Wednesday, DTI said that based on official data, Laban Konsyumer Inc.’s computation was “too high” and “way too far” compared with the department’s.

“In fact, 153 out of 241 shelf keeping units (SKUs) retained its prices in the market. This is equivalent to about 63 percent of the total BNPCs being monitored by DTI whose prices remain unchanged since January,” it added.

The statement came after Laban Konsyumer said earlier this week that based on its study, the Trade department’s expanded suggested retail price (SRP) list as of July 16 increased the number of BNPCs from 132 to 211.

This included canned sardines, processed milk, coffee refill, bread, instant noodles, iodized salt, detergent and laundry soap, bottled water, candles, canned meat, condiments, toilet soap, and batteries.

Based on the old SRP list of 132 items, 93, or about 70 percent, of these already increased prices, Laban Konsyumer said.

These included 15 brands of canned sardines, 22 brands of processed milk, 24 brands of canned meat, and 16 brands of condiments.

The department, however, said only canned pork, meat, fish, processed milk, and candles had price increases in the period.