A press release from the Collective Bakers Association this afternoon unilaterally announced that the price for a 16 ounce pack bread is going up by 85 cents!
Now, this is a controlled price - meaning controlled by government - and today the Agriculture Minister told us that the bakers aren't the government and they can't do that - it's illegal.
Well, they just did. The release says the new price takes effect in two weeks on Monday December 18, 2023. And their justification?: a release says, quote, "This decision has been made by all bakeries, after making multiple requests to GOB/Ministry of Agriculture….on the way forward, and receiving no reply or concrete answer.
This evening, the designated representative of the Collective Bakers Association gave us a phone interview from Orange Walk:
Voice of: Vic Chu, Collective Bakers Rep.
"We have always wanted to increase, but based on the good faith that we have and the communication channel that we have built up with the government, we were waiting for the response from the government for the past 10 months."
"However, it's fruitless and we find the need to do the increase for the survival of everyone. The consumer will pay for this 25 cents increase, which will be $2.50."
Reporter
"$2.50. Okay. How soon should we see this happening in stores?"
Voice of: Vic Chu, Collective Bakers Rep.
"Monday, the 18th of December. We just want people to understand that we are doing this in a good faith with the public so they understand that we are not trying to take advantage or put the public in pain."
"We have listed the reasons why we are doing this increase in the way that we are experiencing at the moment. And the reason we are doing a two-week notice because we don't want the public to get panic and to get suffer."
"We want, since we have waited for so long, it doesn't hurt us to wait for another two weeks. And we want everyone to understand about the difficulties that the entire industry is facing at the moment."
Minister of Agriculture Jose Mai stressed to us today that government has the sole right to increase the controlled price of a 16 ounce loaf of bread - and it does not plan to do so. He says the controlled shelf price for a 16 ounce loaf remains at one dollar and sixty five cents.
He adds that tomorrow his CEO and the Director of Supplies will meet with the bakers.
For their part, the bakers note that the present wholesale price for a 16 oz. pack bread has remained unchanged for the past 15 years at one dollar and fifty cents.
