[File Photo]

Fiji’s leading bakery chain, the Hot Bread Kitchen, says, like other industries, it is feeling the pinch of the rise in operational costs.

Finance Manager Tevita Koroi says the company has taken some necessary steps to mitigate the rise in flour prices, with some staff opting to voluntarily stay at home or work for other bakeries.

“These rise in operation costs is not just for wheat and flour, but for other raw materials that we are using that has also increased from last year and this year.”

Price-controlled bread costs have remained the same since 2011.

The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission says it is reviewing the cost components and looking at ways to limit the drastic increase in prices to protect consumers without hurting businesses.