The Independent Consumer and Competitions Commission (ICCC) , through its nationwide price surveillance exercise, has reported that a lot of shops the ICCC team had inspected are complying with the current Price Measure in place. This comes as good news especially at a time of a rise in the costs of goods and services due to inflation experienced in the country. The ICCC Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Paulus Ain stated that most of the listed goods on the ICCC watch list as per schedule 1 of the Price Measure No. 4, which are essential basic goods, remain within the 10 percent range as discovered in a lot of shops. "Most of the shops have either set their prices within the 10 percent allowable margin or sought approval from the ICCC to increase the price of a certain good/item. This was not seen previously in 2022 or 2023 and that is a big difference", Mr. Ain said. "We understand that these businesses need to make profit and we are allowing them to increase their prices within the 10 percent allowable margin, but if they want to increase it to more than 10 percent, they have to seek the ICCC’s approval beforehand." In the last two-weeks, the ICCC officers were able to inspect more than 500 shops in Morobe, West New Britain induding the lower and upper Highlands provinces. "During this operation, we received many positive comments and feedback from all the locals stating that the shelf prices have changed or increased by not beyond the 10 percent mark, and we would like to encourage the retail and wholesale businesses that this is an on-going operation and for them not to overcharge consumers," Mr. Ain reiterated. The ICCC also noted during this price measure exercise that the most common items or goods that have had increased prices during this period was on all rice products and tinned fish whilst the other items/goods prices have been reasonbliy steady. So far, the ICCC has covered West New Britain, Morobe, Eastern Highlands, Chimbu, Western Highlands, Hela, Southern Highlands and Enga provinces including the Southern region. Mr. Ain, who was with the ICCC officers in these provinces was there to conduct more awareness through the local radio stations whilst providing support to the teams. Mr. Ain commended his staff for braving the heat and unfavourable weather conditions in respective geoprahpical location whilst also avoiding briberies from a number of shops. “It is safe to say that all the shops in each respective provinces have been completed successfully and most of the officers are expected to return to Port Morebsy over the weekend,” Mr. Ain said.