The Consumer Council of Fiji is reminding traders to be honest and sell old stock at the old price.

This is because old stock was already paid before the budget announcement of duty changes on 21st November 2014.

This reminder comes after the council’s three regional offices were flooded with queries from consumers.

They experienced immediate price increases on goods following the budget announcement last Friday.

Chief executive, Premila Kumar said: “The price increases on all imported alcohol, tobacco and cigarettes by 10 per cent after the 2015 national budget announcement comes into effect when there is delivery of new stock after the budget announcement.

“If a retailer is selling these products from his old stock then it must be sold at the old retail price.”

Fiji Revenue & Customs Authority’s duty rates relating to the Customs Tariff Act apply to goods arriving for the first time in Fiji by ship or aircraft. This is after midnight, November 20.

Ms Kumar added, the mentioned time and date also applies to goods relating to changes to the Excise Act.

“The new price only applies when the retailer pays new rate of duty on the new stock of these items arriving for the first time in Fiji by ship or aircraft, after midnight, Thursday 20th November, 2014.

“In other words, all un-cleared cargo after midnight, Thursday, 20th November, 2014 will be charged new duty rate by FRCA which will be passed on to consumers as ‘increase in price’.

“The same applies to other luxury items which had a duty increase of 32 %. These items are: perfumes, cosmetics, shaving, or after shave preparations, Cameras and Camcorders, sunglass, binoculars, video & electronic games, watches, iPods, MP3 and MP4 players and Jewellery.”

Retailers must uphold business ethics and fair trade practice, she added.

“Do the right thing and not hoodwink the consumers by increasing the price of old stock where duty was already paid before the budget announcement.”

CONSUMER COUNCIL OF FIJI