TRUE to its mandate of continuously promoting consumer welfare, the Department of Trade and Industry-Davao Region (DTI-Davao) urged consumers to keep track of their menu as the agency released the price guide for Noche Buena products as of November 22.
The said price guide serves as a reference for the public when buying ingredients for their holiday spread. With this price guide, consumers can better exercise their right to choose in terms of quality and affordability according to their budget. Likewise, consumers will have the freedom to practice critical awareness while comparing the prices of the products they need for the food they plan to prepare in celebration of the holiday season.
The Noche Buena price guide has 12 categories and 240 stock-keeping units (SKUs), such as ham, keso de bola, fruit cocktail, cheese, sandwich spread, all-purpose cream, mayonnaise, pasta, elbow macaroni, salad macaroni, spaghetti sauce, and tomato sauce.
While there has been a slight jump in the prices of some items, DTI assured consumers that the new price guide underwent a lawful process before such was approved and issued.
DTI-Davao Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi shared that the DTI Consumer Protection Group (CPG) made a thorough review of proposals for price adjustments by some companies prior to the release of the 2023 Noche Buena price guide. The DTI approved the price guide of these seasonal products as they are considered staples during Christmas and New Year celebrations.
“DTI, through the CPG, ensured that we continue to uphold the rights of every consumer. Hence, we assure consumers that the price increase, although minimal, is reasonable, letting them enjoy the best value of their money,” she said.
DTI, in coordination with the manufacturers, evaluated the reasons and reasonableness of the price adjustment that ranges from 1.3 percent to 12.7 percent compared with the previous year’s price guide. The revised rates were attributed to the price increase of imported and local raw and packaging materials, high cost of labor, and power and delivery expenses as affected by the inflation and the weakening of the Philippine peso against the dollar.
The regional trade official encouraged consumers to be critical when shopping by checking product labels for the expiry date, price tag, and even the ingredients that may cause allergic reaction to them. Furthermore, she emphasized that consumers may avail, too, of promotional goods or those sold in bundles or at discounted prices to save.
Meanwhile, she advised the public to prepare a grocery list and to refer to the 2023 Noche Buena price guide before visiting their favorite supermarkets and grocery stores to making shopping more convenient.
The 2023 Noche Buena price guide can be accessed at https://www.dti.gov.ph/konsyumer/e-presyo/ and DTI 11 Official Facebook page.
For concerns related to this advisory, the agency can be reached at landline number (082) 224-0511 local 417. A message can be sent, too, to DTI 11’s official Facebook page, the DTI Region 11, for more convenience. PR
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