WITH roughly three months left before the Christmas season, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) met with the manufacturers of Noche Buena products recently to appraise the price and supply situations of these products.
Every year, the DTI meets with said manufacturers in preparation for the upcoming Yuletide season when consumer purchases are on its peak. The Noche Buena products with suggested retail prices (SRPs) being monitored by the DTI are ham, sandwich spread, mayonnaise, pasta, macaroni, tomato sauce, fruit cocktail/mixed fruits, cream, cheese and queso de bola.
The meeting was called to order by Undersecretary Teodoro Pascua of the Consumer Protection Group (CPG). During the meeting, manufacturers assured the DTI that the supply of Noche Buena products are adequate until the end of the year.
“It’s a good thing that as early as now, we can inform the consumers that they need not worry about the supply of Noche Buena products,” Pascua
asserts.
Manufacturers of Christmas food items including the RFM Corporation, SYSU
International Inc., Dole Food Company, Inc., Del Monte Philippines, Inc. Century Pacific, New Zealand Creamery, Ideal Macaroni & Spaghetti Factory, and Philippine Leading Infinite Logistics, stated that there will be no price increases on their products for this year despite the fall of peso value against US dollar and the increase in the price of
flour affecting pasta and macaroni.
However, some manufacturers manifested that they are unable to hold their prices due to the depreciation of peso against US dollar and surge in price of raw materials.
Two manufacturers of ham reported a price increase of less than five percent on their products. Similarly, a Queso de Bola company admitted that there is a slight increase on its product.
Some manufacturers reported no price increase in their products despite the spike in prices of locally manufactured flour mainly because they get their supply abroad.
“Generally, there are no price increases until December for pasta and sauces, cheese, ham and canned tuna because competition is at play due to number of brands. They even outreach on promotions and discounts because they compete on market share,” says Trade Chief Ramon Lopez.
DTI will post the updated SRPs of Noche Buena products next month.
Meanwhile, consumers are encouraged by the DTI to make use of “e-Presyo” in which consumers, retailers, distributors, and manufacturers can check for the SRPs and prevailing prices of all basic and prime goods being monitored by the DTI including those stores selling at the lowest prices and to be guided in their purchases of Noche Buena products during the Christmas season.
The “e-Presyo” can be accessed through the DTI website, www.dti.gov.ph or
downloaded from Play Store using any Android device. For more information, or to report retailers selling goods above the SRPs, contact DTI Direct at 751.3330 or text 09178343330. (PR)