The Authority for Consumer Protection and Defense of Competition (Acodeco), after the entry into force of Executive Decree No. 13 of July 13, 2022, which set the maximum retail prices of another 10 food products, reported that it is carrying out various inspection actions, compliance with the price control of 18 products of the basic food basket, in different commercial premises throughout the country.
The entity warned that businesses that fail to comply with the regulations will be sanctioned and urged people to report any anomaly regarding the prices of these products.
The 10 food products established in Executive Decree No. 13 of July 13, 2022, are the babilla (B/.2.99 per pound); sardine in tomato sauce without spicy of 155 grams in 51 hundredths; the prickly pear in water, can of 170 grams in B/. 1.31; national mortadella with pepper (packaged 454 grams at B/. 3.24) and the national sausage, packed 454 grams, frankfurter at B/.2.14. While the elbows of 454 grams at 69 hundredths; macaroni (spaghetti, in a 454-gram package, excludes calibers other than 3 to 5, whole grains and flavors of carrot, spinach, at B/.0.63 each; white michita bread, one pound B/. 1.40, grade 2 quality lentils or less at B/.0.81 and national and imported vegetable oil, palm or soybean, in containers of 1.42 to 1.5 liters at B/.3.74.
The other 8 products that were already and continue to be under control: bone-in strip steak (B/. 2.55 per pound); prime ground beef, excluding kosher special and low-fat at B.2.15 per pound; whole Panama chicken, with legs and head, B/.1.18 per pound); first class rice (all presentations) B/. 0.40 a pound; powdered milk (whole, instant in any container with a content of 345 – 400 grams, excludes dairy foods, growth milks and infant formulas, B/.3.76; white sliced bread in 14-18 ounce packaging at B/. 0.92 (excludes whole grain, oatmeal, rye, multigrain, egg, milk, butter, raisins, light) Processed American-style yellow cheese (for all curd percentages, excludes light varieties, with bell pepper, bacon, etc.) with a curd content of less than 65% (price by weight sold in block) at B/.3.00 per pound and per individual slice at 10 hundredths each; sausages containing beef (includes those sold loose or in packaging of 1 pound; excludes imported frankfurter type, smoked, cocktail, light, jumbo, gluten free, angus, kosher, low sodium, with cheese) to B/.1.19.
These maximum prices for sale to the public must be visible within the commercial premises. The fines for non-compliance with this measure are immediate.
For any complaint about the price control of the 18 products, Acodeco makes its Institutional Information and Complaint System (Sindi) available, which works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and access is through WhatsApp and Telegram at 6330- 3333, the AcodecoPma social network accounts on Facebook, Twitter and the website of this institution.
