During the previous parliamentary term, several reasonable and responsible voices were raised regarding the escalating cost of living and persistent price increases.
I recall that a group of six to eight MPs jointly addressed a letter to the government on this issue. The most vocal and impactful intervention came from the then Speaker Fouzia Zainal, whose letter generated significant public attention and discussion. If my memory is right, either the government or Parliament subsequently formed a committee to examine the matter and report on it as a priority. However, prices have still continued to rise and I understand it’s also owing to several global factors.
Meanwhile, I noticed that business community often execute some price increases in a subtle and calculated manner! Prices of daily-consumed items are raised by as little as 25 or 50 fils at a time – on one product today and another the next day. Because these increases are minimal, they frequently go unnoticed by consumers, yet collectively they result in substantial additional profits for businesses.
In cases where price increases are not feasible, companies reduce the quantity or weight of the product. A common example is snack packets for children, such as potato chips. Once the packet is opened, the content is found to be minimal, with excessive air filling used to make the packet appear larger than it actually is.
Personal experiences further highlight the inconsistency and arbitrariness of pricing.
I regularly purchased a particular chocolate for children from a supermarket chain priced at 950 fils per piece. On one occasion, while visiting another mall, I found the same item priced at 700 fils in a supermarket there. Later, during a visit to the Visa Office in the Diplomatic Area, I noticed a small shop on the ground floor selling the same chocolate for just 450 fils. Since then, I purchase it there in larger quantities.
Similarly, my daughter used to buy a children’s food item priced at 750 fils per piece for a long time. Last month, however, she found the same product in a supermarket in Riffa, being sold in a pack of 10 pieces for BD1.300.
All of this reflects how various sectors are taking advantage of the so-called ‘free market’, often promoted by the world’s dominant powers, which in effect undermines the economies of developing countries.
Today, some businesses seem to be operating without restraint. For instance, effective from the 16th of this month, my SIM provider informed me that recharge amounts of up to BD3 would no longer carry extended validity, as this facility has been withdrawn.
This appears to be yet another mechanism to extract additional revenue, as SIM validity will now expire sooner, thereby benefiting service providers.
Regulators, adhering to the same rigid ‘free economy’ principles, remain silent and reluctant to intervene. Such unilateral changes to what is essentially a mutual agreement between the company and subscriber are never termed a breach of trust.
I cannot recall the exact reference, but despite my age, I distinctly remember reading an article some 10 to 15 years ago in an international magazine stating that, worldwide, mobile regulators are rarely friends of consumers and are more inclined to protect business interests.
Muhammad
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