Cyprus Mail
Cyprus

Consumers Association calls for boycott over proposed milk price rise

The consumers association called on people on Monday to boycott a dairy company that plans to raise the price of fresh milk by 3 per cent, which according to officials was not justified.

Chairman of the association Marios Droushiotis said consumers should buy milk from companies who will not raise their prices.

The milk market in Cyprus is essentially an oligopoly with two big companies controlling the market. There is a third but smaller company.

The matter came to the fore last week after one of two big milk producers wrote to supermarkets of its intention to raise the price of pasteurised milk by 3 per cent. The company had planned to introduce the increase last week but according to Droushiotis the rise will kick in on Tuesday.

“The quality is the same in all companies and it is time consumers protect themselves,” Droushiotis said, adding that the rise was not justified.

Citing a study carried out by the association, the price of electricity and fuel are at the same levels they were in 2018, while the price of pasteurised milk is 5 per cent higher now compared with then. Cow farmers also said they will not be raising the price of milk, the association said.

Droushiotis said the data was also given to the company, which did not reject them but in turn gave no figures to back its position.

“I hope they have second thoughts,” he said.

The company’s intention also raised eyebrows at the state consumer protection service.

Deputy director Antonis Ioannou said prices have been stable for the past one and a half years and a potential unjustified rise could prompt the government to impose a price ceiling.

 

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