The Consumer Council of Fiji is calling for a formal market inquiry into supermarket pricing practices, amid growing concerns over affordability pressures and inconsistent pricing across the retail sector.

Consumer Council Chief Executive Seema Shandil says the Council has long been advocating for a detailed inquiry into supermarket operations and pricing behavior.

She highlighted this before the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs while making submissions the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission’s 2023–2024 Annual Report.

According to Shandil, consumers continue to face serious pricing pressures.

“While we know FCCC monitors prices, they conduct market studies, consumers continue to face serious affordability pressures from rising living costs, import dependency, and supply chain disruption. So monitoring alone is not enough.”

Shandil says the council has been pushing for a market inquiry for supermarkets

“What we need to see is stronger intervention on excessive markups, increased market competition, and better scrutiny of importer and distributor pricing behavior. So these also concern that some tax and duty reductions are not fully reaching the consumers at retail level. We encourage FCCC to move from observation to more proactive intervention, ensuring that all tax savings become a tangible gain for Fijian households.”

Committee Chair, Sakiusa Tubuna supported the concerns and shared his own experience of encountering large price differences between supermarkets.

“The Committee has thought about that previously, if we can have an inquiry into supermarkets, because I had an experience on Sunday, I was looking for roast chicken, I went to one supermarket, 1.4 was $21.50, and I went to another supermarket, 1.7 was $22. So you see a significant price variation. Those are the sort of things we need to have a look at how supermarkets behave.”

Tubuna indicated that the committee could consider recommending a formal inquiry into supermarket conduct and operations.