Super shops offer products at cheaper rates than kitchen markets: Ahsanul

The prices of products in fixed-price shops are offered at a relatively cheaper rate than kitchen markets, says State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu. 

"Super shops offer special incentives. They also offer fixed prices for every Ramadan product," said the state minister at a press briefing held at the secretariat, marking the Consumer Rights Day on Thursday (14 March). 

The consumers have to bargain in kitchen markets in absence of written product prices there like the fixed-price shops, he added.  

Ahsanul said he wants kitchen markets to sell products at prices lower than super shops as  traders there don't have to bear the cost of air conditioners.

Reiterating the government's commitment to protecting people's interest first, he stressed the need for standardisation in pricing.  

"Every wholesale market in Dhaka is under our surveillance. Wholesalers should be brought under a regulation. They should provide price vouchers to the retailers," he noted. 

The minister said they were trying to develop a software for monitoring the supply chain. 

"We will inaugurate it tomorrow so we can monitor our supply chain, from where or how products are going."  

He mentioned the price discrepancies between farmers and urban market levels for some products, particularly eggplants.