The Price Order that regulates the cost of basic food items within the market expired in December with no new order to effectively control the market and protect consumers from unfair pricing practices. 

Cabinet in July last year approved the extension of the Price Control Order (PCO) No.1 2023 until December 2024 which has now expired. 

It is now two months since the expiry of that Price Control Order and the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Labour has not issued a recent directive. 

Attempts to obtain comments from the MCIL Chief Executive Officer, Pulotu Lyndon Chu Ling have been unsuccessful. 

A senior staff from the MCIL said while there is no new price order in place, the office was continuing ongoing inspections and using the markups to determine whether prices were reasonable. 

“We are still going through the process and as you may be aware we have a new minister. We will advise when it is approved,” said the staff member. 

Price Orders are mandatory for display within business premises to ensure that consumers can easily reference prices and help maintain transparency in pricing. 

Not all food items are included in the order and are only limited to basic goods such as sugar, salt, rice, flour, milk, tinned fish, corned beef and frozen goods like turkey tail, mutton flaps, pork trotter, chicken leg, turkey wings and tail. 

Members of the public are still encouraged to report any instances of unfair price hikes by providing receipts to facilitate prompt and effective action on their complaints when lodged.