SUVA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The Consumer Council of Fiji is calling for a formal inquiry into supermarket pricing practices, citing growing concerns over the rising cost of living and inconsistent pricing across Fiji's retail sector.

Photo taken by phone shows the flour rack at a supermarket in Suva, Fiji, March 16, 2022. (File photo: Xinhua)

Chief Executive of the council, Seema Shandil, told Fiji's Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on Thursday that monitoring supermarket prices alone was no longer enough to protect consumers facing mounting financial pressure.

Speaking during submissions on the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) 2023-2024 annual report, Shandil said households continued to struggle with high living costs driven by import dependency, global supply chain disruptions and increasing retail prices.

She said the council had long advocated for a comprehensive market inquiry into supermarket operations and pricing behaviour, arguing that stronger regulatory intervention was needed to address excessive markups and improve competition in the sector.

Shandil also raised concerns that some reductions in taxes and import duties were not being fully passed on to consumers at the retail level.

"We encourage FCCC to move from observation to more proactive intervention, ensuring that all tax savings become a tangible gain for Fijian households," she said.

The calls come as Fiji continues to grapple with inflationary pressures and the high cost of imported goods. As a small island developing state heavily reliant on imports for food and consumer products, Fiji remains vulnerable to fluctuations in global shipping costs, supply chain disruptions and foreign exchange pressures.

Consumer advocacy groups in Fiji have repeatedly warned that ordinary households are struggling to absorb rising grocery and utility costs, with food affordability becoming an increasing political and economic issue.