BREAD and milk manufacturers have heeded the call of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to lower the suggested retail price (SRP) of their products, with Nestlé Philippines reducing the SRP of its Bear Brand powdered milk, and community bakers opting to either lower bread price or add weight to their pan de sal to reflect the decrease in oil prices and raw materials.
Nestlé Philippines will decrease the SRP of its 150 gram Bear Brand powdered milk by P1 and community bakers will either lower the price of their pan de sal by P0.15 per piece or increase the weight of the Filipino breakfast staple by 2 grams apiece, the DTI reported on Wednesday.
DTI-Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Undersecretary Victorio Mario A. Dimagiba is, likewise, in talks with the producers of Pinoy Tasty and Pinoy pan de sal to explore the use of alternative flour brands so they can lower the prices of their products.
The pan de sal from community bakeries in the country has a price range of P2 to P2.50 per piece with a corresponding weight range of 25 to 30 grams.
Lucito Chavez, Philippine Federation of Bakers’s Association Inc. national vice president and Tinapayan president, said in a news statement that they have heeded the DTI’s notification to lower bread price amid decreasing liquefied petroleum gas prices.
Philippine Baking (Philbaking) President Nestor Constancia, for his part, said that Philbaking members use electricity in preparing bread so, as a compromise, they would be looking for alternative flour brands with lower prices to be used in Pinoy Tasty and Pinoy pan de sal.
“We are optimistic about the new formulation for Pinoy Tasty and Pinoy pan de sal, and expect to be ready with these in the market by the latter part of February with reduced SRPs,” Constancia added.
Currently, the Pinoy Tasty and Pinoy pan de sal are being sold at P36.50 per loaf and P22.25 per 10-piece pack, respectively.
The DTI will also meet with flour millers next week to discuss the possible reduction of the prices of flour bags to further bring down the SRPs of the two bread brands.
As for powdered milk, Nestlé Philippines Senior Vice President Edith de Leon said: “Effective March 1, 2015, we are decreasing the SRP of our most salable milk product, Bear Brand powdered milk in 150 grams, from P51 to P50. Although there are product costs that hinder us to lower our prices, such as the impacts of port congestion, we heed to the DTI’s call to help the consumers.”
“In addition, starting April 1, Nestlé will provide extra grams in its Bear Brand powdered milk in 320 grams, 900 grams and 1.2 grams at the same prices,” de Leon added.
Dimagiba further said that CDO, a manufacturer of luncheon meat and corned-beef brands, will raise the price of their processed-meat products and that Nissin Monde may lower its 55-gram pack of instant noodles by P0.10 to P0.15 centavos.
The DTI will convene the National Price Coordinating Council on February 5 to check on the price and supply of other products under the basic necessities and prime commodities that are under the jurisdictions of the Departments of Agriculture, Health, Environment and Natural Resources, and Energy.
The DTI enjoins the consumers before purchasing goods, to check on the published SRPs for nonagricultural basic necessities and prime commodities at the DTI web site.
Image credits: Stephanie Tumampos