The Government has threatened ‘unscrupulous’ retailers who are fuelling price distortions that they will face punitive action as stringent monitoring mechanisms are being put in place to deal with such indiscipline.

The past months have seen consumers being exposed to all sorts of price distortions as retailers continue to charge different prices for basic commodities despite getting them at fair prices from manufacturers.

Basic commodities like bread, maize meal, soft drinks and beer which are delivered at door step pegged at the same wholesale price are sold at different prices at the expense of desperate consumers.

“Why is it that companies like beverages and bread manufacturers deliver their products at shops at for example soft drinks 50 cents and 80 cents but retailers would triple the price to $1.50 to $3.50? This is not normal and unless something is done urgently consumers will continue to be ripped off,” complains an angry consumer.

“We used to know that bread is sold at a uniform price, drinks we know it should be one price across the board, the same as beer but this price madness is a clear sabotage by individual business who should be investigated and brought to book,” says another concerned citizen.

Responding to the price distortions, the Minister of Industry and Commerce Mangaliso Ndlovu reiterated that price controls is not an option, but added that days for those who continue to rip consumers are numbered as the government has been closely monitoring and will introduce new mechanisms.

“Government’s position is clear, we have engaged all stakeholders from manufacturers to retailers, but it appears the challenge is some individual businesses who continue to ride on uncertainty which rocked the economy, but I want to warn them that price controls will not be an option but room for engagement is always there.

“We have all instruments to deal with any businesses who continue to deliberately cause distortions and all those who are willy nilly operating outside the confines of the law; we are monitoring and the festive season will come and go and competition will soon catch up with them,” said Minister Ndlovu.

While the government, industry and retailers engagement process has failed to stabilise the prices, observers feel if other economic enablers such as fuel suppliers and wholesalers are not increasing prices, there is urgent need to institute a deliberate policy to deal with retailers who are shamelessly exploiting people.

-State Media