The Consumer Council of Fiji has called for more stringent measures to combat price exploitation in the country.

Council CEO Seema Shandil says in the aftermath of the recent VAT increase from 9 per cent to 15 per cent, reports of profiteering by certain traders were received and raised concerns about the equitable pricing of common goods such as newspapers and recharge top-ups for mobile phones.

She said complaints had surfaced from concerned consumers regarding a few traders who were “unscrupulously” charging prices exceeding the clearly marked VIP (VAT Inclusive Price) labels on newspapers and recharge top-ups.

“This concerning complaint undermines the very foundations of fair business practices and consumer protection laws,” Ms Shandil said.

“In one of the complaints, a consumer informed the Council that a trader was retailing a local newspaper at $1.58 while the VIP price written on it was $1.50.

“In a separate case, a trader charged a consumer $26.67 cents for a recharge worth $25.

“All traders have a responsibility to adhere to the principles of ethical business conduct, ensuring transparent transactions and fair pricing.”

Ms Shandil said the recent complaints of price discrepancies were deeply troubling.

“We urge traders to immediately rectify these pricing inconsistencies.”