Fruit and veg prices ‘unreasonably high’, consumer service finds

Producers and supermarkets have been found to be charging “unreasonably high prices” for fruit and vegetables, the commerce ministry said.

The ministry’s Consumer Protection Service carried out checks and found that in some cases “an unreasonably high retail price of fruit and vegetables is observed, which is mainly due to the practice followed to date by suppliers to set the retail price of fruit and vegetables on a daily basis.”

The service held meetings with all involved parties giving “strict instructions” to “immediately terminate this practice.”

The move “resulted in their compliance as of August 1.”

The aim of the service was to guarantee healthy competition in the free market, ultimately safeguarding the interests of the consumers.

In this context, the Consumer Protection Service will intensify its checks in the market, on all levels, to eradicate any unfair practices.