A CLAMPDOWN on overcharging in so-called closed markets has been announced, with the government vowing to come down hard on the problem.
Leontios Pericleous, acting director of the Competition and Consumer Protection Services at the Commerce, Industry and Tourism Ministry, yesterday told the Cyprus Mail that, “we have drawn up a draft proposal on how to deal with the problem and will co-ordinate with the Attorney-general to see whether it’s compatible with EU legislation. We will be discussing the matter at our ad-hoc committee meeting next Thursday.
“We have heard stories of people being charged up to £2 for a bottle of water at beaches and football stadiums and this in not acceptable. We want to bring prices down.”
He added that the current legislation on consumable products dated back to 1973.
Places such as airports, ports, schools, car parks, sports stadiums, parks, and ships are considered to be closed markets as there is often only one place on site where consumers can buy food and drink, meaning prices are way above the average, as consumers have no choice but to buy there.
Commerce Minister George Lillikas has promised to look into the matter and wants to regulate and review disproportionate prices in the market.
The decision was made after the Consumers’ Association carried out inspections in response to numerous complaints from the public over excessive prices on products such as water, soft drinks coffee, sandwiches and ice cream.
Association President Petros Marcou likened the situation to a monopoly. “We cannot allow the consumer to be exploited in this way. A mechanism to fix the prices must be introduced.”
He added that restaurants and kiosks in these places “don’t try and hide their prices in order to trick anybody and everything they do is legal, as a particular company will have won the tender, but the consumer simply doesn’t have a choice. If you or your children are really thirsty and there is only one place selling water at a vastly inflated price, what are you going to do?”
He suggested consumers bring their own food and drink with them when in such places.
The same problem has also been in the headlines in Greece recently, where mark-ups of between 80 and 580 per cent have been reported at Athens’ Eleftherios Venizelos Airport.
Lets see if there will be any results!
