Putting chicken on the Christmas menu is going to be a difficult ask for many Fijians this festive season, with prices for the celebratory staple up by 18 percent.

A market survey conducted by the Consumer Council of Fiji has revealed that number 16 birds are averaging $20.50, pricing chicken out of reach of low income earners this Christmas.

Consumer Council chief executive officer Seema Shandil expressed concern over the rising prices especially when demand for chicken is at its peak.

She said it was disheartening to see some traders taking advantage of consumers.

Shandil said that chicken, a key food item for many families should not be priced out of reach during the crucial holiday season.

“We’ll be raising certain alerts and we’re going to flag it to the relevant authority, which is the regulator, to see what they can do about it because we have also checked with the suppliers who have confirmed that there has not been any increase from their end.”

The survey found that the retail price of Number 16 chicken in supermarkets averages $20.50, while the wholesale price is $17.28, resulting in an 18 per cent markup of $3.22 per chicken.

For Number 19 chicken, the retail price can go up to $25.50, with an average price of $23.76, while the wholesale price is $20.10, reflecting an 18 per cent margin of $3.66.

Number 21 chicken, the most expensive, can reach up to $28.50 with an average price of $26.71 and a wholesale price of $22.19, resulting in a 20 per cent markup, or an average margin of $4.52 per chicken.

Shandil acknowledged that supermarkets have the right to operate within a free market and set their prices accordingly.

However, she said that the current markups are unfairly burdening consumers especially during the Christmas and festive season when families are already struggling with increased costs.

The Consumer Council is urging supermarkets to reconsider their pricing strategies to ease the financial pressures on Fijian families as they prepare for the festive season.

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