KATHMANDU: Retailers are reluctant to display price list — retail or wholesale. A survey by The Himalayan Times in New Baneshwor, Bagbazar, Ason, Teku and Kalimati areas found few retail shops displaying the price list.

Last Friday, the Department of Commerce (DoC) ordered retailers and wholesalers to display price list of essential goods within three days. Monday, DoC sealed five shops — one in Kalimati and four in New Baneshwor— for violating the order.

Price list display has become a bone of contention of the government and the private sector. On Wednesday, the Ministry of Commerce and Supply (MoCS) agreed to extend the deadline till August 5 at the request of Nepal Chambers of Commerce (NCC). But, the snail’s pace progress does not augur the price list display order will be implemented on time.

Consumer Rights Protection Forum (CRPF) secretary Netra Dhital said, “Shopkeepers are unwilling to display the price list because business organizations are backing them,” he said. NCC had opposed the DoC’s move along with supporting stockists under the investigation of Kathmandu District Administration Office (DAO).

The survey by The Himalayan Times found only 17 per cent of retail shops at New Baneshwor displaying the price list. The number is near zero in areas like Teku and Kalimati. “We have decided to disobey the order,” a shopkeeper at Kalimati said, “If the government wants real change, let it act against stockists and wholesellers.”

Most shopkeepers surveyed in the area said the action should be taken from the up-to-down approach.

“Retailers are not stockists. How can they influence the market?” said Narayan Sahu of Teku, “We want the price list displayed by wholesellers first. It will reduce the market price to the actual level,” he added.

DoC will not stop the action, said DoC acting director Kailash Kumar Bajimaya. “We will swing into action from Thursday. No one, either wholeselller or retailer, can escape from it,” he said.

DAO and DoC will work together to curb the price hike. “We will not hesitate to seize goods and sell them on the spot if needed,” he said.

The government is planning to enforce three Acts — Consumer Protection Act, Black Marketing and Certain Other Social Offences Act and Competition Promotion and Market Protection Act — all at the same time from next week. DoC will also seal all shops which do not display price list, Bajimaya added.

FNCCI concerned

KATHMANDU: FNCCI showed serious concern in raids in food grains godowns of businessmen on Friday. “The allegations of hoarding and black marketing is baseless,” the umbrella body of entrepreneurs said. The FNCCI has warned the government not to disturb the market saying such actions will further complicate the supply system. However, the FNCCI has assured the government in their support in managing supply system.