Authorities are preparing to assess retail prices following the temporary removal of the Common External Tariff (CET).
The goal is to see if consumers are benefiting from duty reductions.

The CET was suspended in early December on dozens of basic food items.
As a result, affected goods were placed at a zero percent duty rate.

Items impacted include cooking oils, canned meats, fresh produce, and selected staples.
Authorities have insisted that retailers reflect the duty reduction in shelf prices.
This is especially important during the busy holiday shopping season.

The measure aims to ease inflationary pressures on households.
However, shoppers reported mixed experiences during the Christmas period.

“I find that the Christmas shopping, you know, the prices to me remain the same,” one shopper said.
“Either you want it or you don’t want it,” the shopper added.

Another consumer said price changes did not influence their buying.
“I really don’t watch prices. If I want the good, I go and buy it. Whatever it costs, that’s not my concern,” they said.

Meanwhile, other shoppers noticed slight reductions but still felt constrained.
“I see a little difference, but the spending power was not there,” one shopper said.
They added that conditions felt worse than last year.

The Prices and Consumer Affairs Division said formal monitoring has not yet started.
This is because statutory instruments needed for enforcement are still pending.

Officials expect price checks to begin in the first week of January.
They plan to verify whether retailers passed on the duty savings to consumers.

Moreover, authorities emphasized that retailers are responsible for adjusting prices accordingly.
Consumers are encouraged to report instances where duty savings are not reflected.
The effort is part of broader measures to support household budgets.

In conclusion, authorities will closely track retail prices in the coming weeks.
The temporary CET suspension provides an opportunity to ease costs for families.
Results from the monitoring will determine next steps for enforcement and public guidance.

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