“Very Difficult to Maintain”: B.C.C.I. on Amended Price Control List

Marcello Blake

Blake went on to explain that most of the grocery items covered under the new price control lists are considered volume items for retailers. These are items that sellers make most of their monies from. As a result, Blake says capping the markup on these goods will have significant impacts on how these businesses operate.

Marcello Blake, President, Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industries

“When we look at our membership we have quite a set that operates in what we consider as retail,  So we have had quite a bit of ongoing conversations even from the onset, prior to meeting with the CEO of Human Development and Controller of Supplies to have them aware of the position that the chamber is preparing to take. We had the support of our members because they all appreciate that the items listed on the SI are in fact your bread and butter. Those are your volume items you would be making your money on so having it now be capped at the fifteen percent for food items and twenty-five percent for non food items does put them in a predicament cause at the end of the day a lot of businesses, a part form the usual support to discount days and donations to individuals requesting assistance, they felt the need to sustain the personnel they have, having ACs and coolers to be maintained comes at a cost. At fifteen percent that cost would be very difficult to maintain into the long run.”