The Department of Trade and Industry has started monitoring the prices of noche buena products sold in supermarkets and other business establishments in Cebu City.
Malls, business establishments outside Cebu City might also be inspected
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI 7) plans to expand monitoring of prices of noche buena items to include malls and other establishments outside Cebu City.
“We found that there are malls outside Cebu selling noche buena items. We’re going to incorporate them into our monitoring as well to see if they are compliant with the suggested retail price (SRP),” said Zaide Bation, DTI 7 chief of Consumer Welfare and Business Regulation Division (CWBRD).
Bation said they will inspect as many establishments as they can, including those not in typical mall or store formats.
The agency started monitoring prices of noche buena goods last Friday and will continue until the end of December.
Products included in the noche buena list are ham, fruit cocktail, cheese, sandwich spread, mayonnaise, queso de bola, pasta or spaghetti, elbow and salad macaroni, spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, and creamer.
Of the establishments inspected in Cebu City so far, all have been compliant, she said.
Majority of the prices were maintained from last year’s SRP, but several increased slightly, Bation added.
Among the products that showed an increase in pricing are selected ham brands, fruit cocktails, mayonnaise and tomato sauce.
As of November 10, DTI has released a copy of the SRP of noche buena products. Consumers and retailers alike can use this as reference when looking up pricing for the goods.
Consumers are likewise reminded to examine the date of expiration and the price tag of any noche buena product before purchasing. In the event that the shelf price, item price on the tag and scanned price are not the same, the least amount is to be followed.
Bation also reminded consumers to check the weight of the product they are buying vis-a-vis the price, as some products that are priced equally may actually have different weights. This is a common mistake consumers make, she added.
In a separate advisory, the DTI Central Visayas office also warned establishments against putting a “No Return, No Exchange” sign anywhere in the store or printing in sales contracts or official receipts.
“This is considered deceptive and is prohibited,” the DTI advisory stated.
Under the Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 7394, or the Consumer Act of the Philippines, the words “No Return, No Exchange” must not be written into the contract of sale.
Based on the law, consumers have the right to return defective goods or demand for remedies, in case of defective or imperfect service. With an official receipt as proof of purchase, a consumer could demand replacement or refund for a defective item.
The DTI advisory said sellers are obligated to honor their implied warranties and grant corresponding remedies to consumers.
“However, the prohibition (against the “No Return, No Exchange” policy) is not an excuse for the consumer to return the goods because of a change of mind,” the DTI added.