Two surveys of commodity prices yesterday revealed that the prices of four kinds of household goods have increased slightly following the government’s announcement in April of increases in fuel and electricity rates.
Consumers’ Foundation chairwoman Joann Su (蘇錦霞) said her group’s collaboration with the Executive Yuan’s Consumer Protection Commission in conducting the surveys aimed to examine whether prices of household goods have risen because of the fuel price hike on April 2.
Among the 10 kinds of household goods surveyed, the average prices of washing powder, shower gel, toothpaste and tissues sold at major hypermarkets and supermarkets were found to have increased slightly between March and last month.
According to survey results from the commission and foundation respectively, the average prices of washing powder increased by 5.4 percent and 2.8 percent; those for shower gel rose 3.5 percent and 5.2 percent; toothpaste by 2.9 percent and 2.5 percent; and tissues by 2.5 percent and 6.5 percent.
Commission Director-General Liu Ching-fang (劉清芳) said the long-term price trend of the 10 kinds of household goods was still stable and reasonable and the increases could not be directly attributed to the rise in fuel and electricity prices.
However, Liu said there were three cases that aroused suspicion in the surveys.
The first suspect case was the sudden increase in the price of a brand of tissues sold at a hypermarket from NT$149 per pack in March to NT$176 per pack last month, which will be reported to the Fair Trade Commission for further examination.
The second case was a brand of eggs that remained at the same price of NT$57 a box for 16 months, with only one promotional price of NT$54 in June last year.
Liu said it was suspected that the lengthy sales promotion was used to deceive consumers about its original price.
“It’s like a store attracting consumers who seek a good bargain by claiming it is having a clearance sale, but the store is still there after two years, and the promotional price is actually the original price,” Su said.
The third case concerned whether the slightly reduced price of milk powder (an average price drop of between 0.1 percent and 1.8 percent between March and last month) was in line with the reduction on import duties on milk powder from 5 percent to 2.5 percent, Su said.
Commission Deputy Director-General Wu Cheng-hsueh (吳政學) said that although the survey results of the commission and the foundation showed similar patterns of roughly stable prices, consumers should compare prices of the same commodity between brands when shopping instead of always relying on the same brands, to save more money.
The commission has a toll-free line, 0800-007-007 for the public to report price gouging, while the Consumers’ Foundation welcomes such reports on its Facebook page, www.facebook.com/price0601.
Additional reporting by CNA
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
One of two tropical depressions that formed off Taiwan yesterday morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. The weather system is expected to move northwest as it builds momentum, possibly intensifying this weekend into a typhoon, which would be called Mitag, Lee said. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is forecast to approach the southeast of Taiwan on Monday next week and pass through the Bashi Channel
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
RSS