Staff Reporter

Consumer watchdog - Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) has called upon the National Competitiveness Commission (NCC) to probe the unjustified basic commodities price hikes in most retail outlets.

This surge is against economic indicators depicting a deflationary operating economic environment. A snap survey by this publication revealed that most basic commodities unfoundedly went up by an average of 10%, this August.

Diesel recorded a 2,3% increase from an average of US$1,30 to $1,33, while petrol was pegged at $1,37 from $1,33.

Basic commodities such as bread went up from $100 to $109; brown sugar was 16% up from $240 to $280; maize roller meal averaged $549 to $579; 2litres of cooking oil was up 7,5% from $430 to $471; economy beef $520 per kilogram to around $570, among other commodities.

Although acknowledging fuel being an enabler that contributes significantly to the cost of production for commodities, the consumer overseer says the recent hikes are disproportionate to the fuel increase.

“Consumers have been complaining over these unjustified hikes because if left unchecked, retailers will naively drive the country towards avoidable inflation.

“Most backyard tuck-shops and informal shops which include food outlets such as Innscor have also ignored Government’s call to regularize their prices in line with prevailing official bank exchange rate, instead choosing to use parallel market rates,” said CCZ.

The consumer council therefore urged the NCC to thoroughly interrogate the cost build-up of some of these basic commodities and engage manufacturers in order to ensure that a justified market price is set.

On establishment, the competitive commission was among other responsibilities also tasked with identifying cross-cutting constraints to the country’s economic growth and productivity and influence policy to benefit all.