Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) Chief Executive Officer Chris Mugaga has said that prices are still high in the country. The CEO said this at a time when the ordinary citizens are still under shock with a sudden hike in prices that recently took place in the country.
“Generally the prices in Zimbabwe are higher… Prices in Zimbabwe where higher even before the hikes,” said Mugaga.
The government, which intervened to reduce prices of goods in the country has blamed social media for the hikes.
Mugaga reveals that prices are high at a time when Zimbabwean buyers have been complaining about pricing system in the country.
Consumers, in a country where the majority is getting below the poverty datum line, have been complaining about the three-tier pricing system saying that it was causing some budget problems on their meager wages.
“When you go to look for prices, its another price but when you buy using bond notes the price is higher and using the cards the price changes again. Why don’t you just put the three prices on the labels because it is causing some problem with our budgeting, ” complained a consumer.
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe said that the three-tier pricing is illegal but bank charges on swiping cards have always increased the transacting costs for the consumers.
Recent price hikes caused panic on Zimbabwean consumers who were buying goods to stoke fears that the country was heading for a hyperinflation. Zimbabwe had a hyperinflation in 2008 accompanied with a shortage of goods in supermarkets.
