COSTA RICA NEWS – Not reading the price label and closely examining the savings could cost you, says the Dirección de Apoyo al Consumidor del Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio (MEIC), in its latest survey detecting false or misleading promotions at 15 different retailers.
The MEIC says that in a number of the cases it found that the savings in buying a “three pack” or “six pack” was none and even the combo purchase more expensive than buying the items separately.
Examples by the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio (MEIC)
The ministry also found that “special price” or “pay for two take home three” or “free or 50% off the second product” to be misleading in many cases or the savings only being a few colones.
The MEIC is calling on consumers to compare pricing and report any misleading practice, including a bait and switch, offering one product at a special price, but in reality another of inferior or lesser quality is sold to the consumer.
Cynthia Zapata, Director of Apoyo al Consumidor, says all promotion or special offers should incidate the previous price and the new or benefit to the consumer. This is supported in law and the MEIC will investigate cases of abuse by retailers, big or small, according to Zapata.
The MEIC survey was done from June 12 to 17 of 15 retailers, made up 8 major chain supermarket stores and 7 independent business.
Of concern to the MEIC is also the recent advertising this week, tying Costa Rica’s football team win with special pricing.
“If the La Sele wins…” read some ads earlier this week in referencey to Saturday’s quarter-finals game in Brazil.
Source: La Nacion
