THE DEPARTMENT of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Tuesday said it had inspected two supermarkets and two bookstores in Caloocan City as part of efforts to monitor compliance with suggested retail prices (SRP) for basic goods, including school supplies.
In a statement, DTI said its Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau visited the four stores on Aug. 19, with one store getting a letter of inquiry for a school supply item that was priced higher than SRP.
“The store has to submit a written explanation within 72 hours from receipt of the letter,” it said.
One of the supermarkets did not carry any of the 16 stock keeping units of canned sardines included in the SRP bulletin, while the inspection deemed that all brands complied with suggested retail prices.
“Even if the noncompliant firms expressed their commitment to comply, they will still be issued a letter of inquiry,” Trade Assistant Secretary Ann Claire C. Cabochan said in the statement.
The DTI issued separate SRP bulletins for basic goods and school supplies on Aug. 12 to protect consumers from unscrupulous sellers. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
