Fijians are absorbing the impact of the fuel crisis, not just through base price increases of goods but through the erosion of promotional discounts that previously kept costs lower.
This is according to a recent multi-week market surveillance exercise by the Consumer Council of Fiji (CCF) at local supermarkets, “revealing that Fijian households are grappling with a growing form of ‘hidden’ inflation.”
“While many consumers look for drastic spikes in base prices at the supermarket checkout, the Council’s data analysis indicates that the more pervasive issue is the systematic erosion of promotional discounts,” CCF chief executive officer Seema Shandil said.
“Retailers are increasingly narrowing the gap between standard retail prices and discounted prices, or in many instances, removing these discounts entirely.
“This subtle shift means that while the sticker price on the shelf may remain unchanged, the final cost to the consumer is rising as the ‘discount buffer’ that previously lowered the cost of living continues to shrink.”
Ms Shandil said the Council’s investigation, which spanned from late March to early May 2026, tracked price fluctuations across various supermarket chains nationwide to determine how the global fuel crisis was translating into real-world costs for families.
They identified what she said was a “concerning two-tier” inflationary reality, in which commonly purchased goods were experiencing sustained price growth.
“Products such as Jasmine Rice, eggs, vape mats, cookies, teabags, bathing soap, sausages, washing powder, toilet paper and cooking oil have seen average price increases ranging from 15 per cent to over 35 per cent during the monitored period. While price-controlled items still remain below the maximum set price, the average discounts offered on these items has reduced, meaning that consumers are ultimately paying more,” Ms Shandil, adding that
the financial strain on families was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
“Our findings provide hard evidence of a creeping cost-of-living burden that is not always immediately apparent to the naked eye.
“When the deep discounts that families rely on to stretch their budget are quietly reduced, it is the ordinary consumer who pays the price at the checkout.
“We are seeing a ‘discount illusion’ where the retail environment feels stable, yet the actual purchasing power of every dollar is being slowly eroded.”
Ms Shandil warned that this “staircase effect” where prices rise and rarely return to their previous baselines, is creating a new, more expensive standard for the cost of living.
“As the global fuel crisis continues to impact supply chains, there is a significant risk that remaining discount buffers on staple items will be further depleted, leading to sharper increases in the total grocery bill.
