Friday 01 August
2008, San José, Costa Rica
Menos Pachanga, Menos
Fiesta. Time To Tighten
The Belt, Says Central
Bank President
Annual Romeria In
Its Last Days
Tax on International
Banks To Finance Diesel
Subsidy
Supermarkets
Overcharging Customers
Berrocal For President
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Supermarkets
Overcharging Customers
The Ministerio de
Economía, Industria y
Comercio (MEIC) advises
consumers to double
check prices at the
supermarket after it
found that a number of
supermarkets sell their
merchandise at higher
prices than that offered
on the shelf sticker.
The MEIC sees the
practice as thievery,
according to the
vice-minister of the
MEIC, Eduardo Sibaja.
In a study of 20
supermarkets around the
country in the first
week of June, the MEIC
found a number of
inconsistencies between
the prices on the shelf
label that charged at
the checkout stand.
The MEIC offered as an
example were the Muñoz y
Nanne supermakert in San
Pedro sold a two
kilogram bag of rice for
¢980 colones.
The price of a two
kilogram bag of 80/20
rice is set by the
government at ¢914
colones. An increase of
¢205 colones per bag
will take effect on
August 8.
The Perimercado La Gran
Vía in downtown San José
was found to be
displaying a price of
¢763 for a loaf of
Breddy white bread, but
in effect it was
charging customers ¢837
at checkout.
The MEIC has many more
examples of the practice
which appears common in
many supermarkets.
Cynthia Zapata, director
of the Apoyo al
Consumidor says that
supermarkets face a fine
from ¢1.5 to ¢6.5
million colones and
unfortunately even
though the retailer is
found in violation more
than once, it can only
be fined once,
with the fined based on
the degree of the
intention to deceive.
Sibaja added that the
rice is the only product
that is regulated by
government controls. |
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