THE CONSUMER Affairs Commission (CAC) is warning that it will be taking a no holds barred approach against supermarkets and retail outlets which engage in price gouging during the hurricane season which starts today.
According to Dolsie Allen, chief executive officer (CEO) of the CAC, surveillance officers have been investigating current market prices and will continue to do so throughout the hurricane season. The prices for critical food items, the CEO noted, will be published weekly in the press.
She disclosed that the CAC has been meeting with members of the distributive trades, who have given assurance that there will be adequate supplies of basic food items in the event of a disaster. "It (distributive trade) has also assured us (CAC) that the prices will remain stable," she said.
VIGILANCE URGED
However, Mrs. Allen is urging consumers to be vigilant and report any abnormalities experienced in the market.
She added the CAC will be working along with the National Works Agency (NWA) in an effort to distribute adequate supplies to the market.
The CAC explained that while price gouging was not a problem in last year's hurricane season, several cases were reported in 2004.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, a list of 18 suppliers across the island were accused of price gouging. In some cases, the commission reported that there was as much as 500 per cent mark-up on goods.
