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Andile Tshuma, Chronicle Reporter

CONSUMERS have condemned the recent price hikes saying they are against Government’s Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) which seeks to turn around the country’s economic fortunes.

The National Consumer Rights Association (NACORA) yesterday called on Government to intervene to stop the price hike madness prevailing in the country that has left consumers at the mercy of profiteering retailers.

In a statement yesterday, the consumers’ rights group’s spokesperson, Mr Effie Ncube, said recent price hikes by retailers were a betrayal of the majority of Zimbabweans.

The consumer representative body said they were aware of the country’s economic challenges but pleaded for Government to engage the business community and find a way to protect the consumer.

“It is unfair for other partners to expect the consumer to be the only one who bears the burden of the economic challenges. While as consumers, like government and business, we value stability and will strive to preserve it, we also want to be able to feed our children, pay school fees, pay rentals, access health care and buy all basic commodities at an affordable price,” said Mr Ncube.

The consumers’ group urged Government to introduce measures that will ensure that the consumer is cushioned from the harsh economy.

It also said business must not shift all the burden to consumers.

“The unabated price hikes pose a threat to stability and the only way to preserve it is to curb prices through the right formula. The consumer is already suffering under the triple burden of poverty, unemployment and low salaries and cannot and should not be expected to absorb unending price hikes,” said Mr Ncube.

“We believe government and business can and should do more to curb the unmitigated price madness. These price hikes are deepening poverty and eroding food and nutritional security of households in a huge way. Consequently, the standards of living of consumers are plummeting with no sight of the end. What makes the hikes even more painful is that salaries have not risen in real terms over many years and business has done nothing to remedy collapsing incomes. Therefore price hikes are further confining the unemployed into abject poverty and eroding the static savings of senior citizens and the disposable incomes of workers across all industries resulting in them taking home salaries that can buy just a tiny percentage of what their salaries used to buy just 24 months ago.” 

This week, Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister Cde Raj Modi condemned the latest round of price hikes that have seen the price of bread going up to RTGS$3,50 from RTGS$2 while a 10kg bag of mealie meal now costs RTGS$11,85 up from the recommended retail price of RTGS$6,30.

The Deputy Minister said Government had noted with concern rampant price hikes and would soon act on the matter.

“We have realised that prices are going up very often and most commodities are now beyond the reach of consumers. We are working on something to address that matter and we will reveal the details soon. The public must know that we are aware and we care about the consumer and we are doing something,” said Cde Modi. — @andile_tshuma.