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Panic buying sees CAA raid profiteers
View(s):Putting meals on the table is no easy task under continuous curfew, especially in densely-populated districts, as residents desperately seek out supplies online or buy at high prices from mobile vendors or even resort to purchasing dry rations from drug addicts looking for money.
The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) said it is taking action to curb profiteers benefiting from curfew restrictions.
“The majority of complaints are coming from the Colombo district. At present there are about 300 from the district alone and we are looking into them. We have deployed officers to check the prices of retail sellers, especially those in mobile vans, lorries and three-wheelers,” CAA Western Province Assistant Director A.A. Jazoor said.
“People in fear of a food shortage are buying items even at higher prices whether it is dry rations or vegetables. The government is committed to providing food items at a reasonable rate for the public without creating any shortage. The nearest grama sevaka or divisional secretary should be informed if items are not arriving in areas,” Mr. Jazoor said.
He said panic buying of rice, in particular, was prompting some vendors to charge high prices, and raids were being made on shops at the Manning Market and other leading distributing areas to make sure prices were kept under control.
Action had been taken against vendors selling rice, dhal, onions, potatoes, canned fish above the maximum given price and against vendors hoarding stocks to create shortages.
The CAA is also receiving complaints about delayed online deliveries from leading supermarket chains and other shops.
“If people have ordered online they should receive their order as soon as possible. Instructions have been given to clear backlogs immediately or refund customers who have already paid online,” an official from the CAA said.