The Trade department’s consumer protection group on Wednesday reminded retailers of select brands of bottled water to comply with the government’s suggested retail price (SRP) after the commodity was found to be grossly overpriced in airports and bus terminals.
The Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Fair Trade Bureau, a unit under the Consumer Protection Group, reported that after price monitoring activities in bus terminals and at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 3, Nature’s Spring Drinking Water was the most common brand of bottled water sold above the SRP. The said brand of bottled water is P3.10 to P20.10 higher compared with the SRP. Other brands that were being sold above the SRP are Absolute, Summit, and Viva whose prices were higher than the prescribed SRPs by P2.00 to P13.00.
The manufacturer of Nature’s Spring Drinking Water, The Philippine Spring Water Resources Inc. was not aware of the overpricing of the commodity but are, likewise, appealing to retailers to adhere to SRP. “The DTI already issued the SRPs for bottled water in February of this year which already includes the mark-up of distributors and retailers. As such, there is no reason for them to sell bottled water at very high prices,” Undersecretary for Consumer Protection Victorio Mario A. Dimagiba said.
Catherine N. Pillas