Riya Mala 
[Photo: FILE]
The Consumer Council of Fiji is sounding the alarm over widespread pricing discrepancies found in major supermarkets across the country, warning that inaccurate shelf pricing is unfairly burdening consumers already grappling with the rising cost of living.
Chief Executive Officer Seema Shandil says recent market surveillance conducted over the past two days uncovered numerous cases where products either had no displayed prices or were sold at checkout for amounts different from what was shown on shelves.
The Council says such practices undermine consumer confidence and deny shoppers the transparency needed to make informed purchasing decisions.
While several supermarkets blamed the discrepancies on staffing issues and system failures, Shandil stresses that these explanations are unacceptable and do not excuse non-compliance with fair trading obligations.
She says consumers have the legal right to accurate and transparent pricing information at all times, particularly as many families continue to feel the pressure of increasing living costs.
The Council is now urging all supermarkets and retailers to immediately review their pricing systems, tighten internal monitoring, and ensure shelf prices consistently match checkout charges.
