Davao City – As the holiday season approaches, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 11 urges consumers to be smart and mindful of their budget and plan for Noche Buena. To assist consumers in making informed purchasing decisions, the agency has issued the 2024 Noche Buena Price Guide.

The price guide, which was released on November 15, will help consumers plan for their holiday season purchases by providing them with a list of various Noche Buena products to choose from. The DTI continuously emphasizes the consumers’ right to make informed choices and the importance of asserting their right to choose. Meanwhile, DTI also reminds consumers of their responsibility to be critically aware by comparing the price and quality of the products to ensure value for money purchase.

The Price Guide enlists 236 stock-keeping units (SKUs) from 20 Noche Buena manufacturers covering the same 12 categories, such as ham, queso de bola, fruit cocktail, cheese, sandwich spread, all-purpose cream, mayonnaise, pasta, elbow macaroni, salad macaroni, spaghetti sauce, and tomato sauce.

There has been a slight increase in the prices of some Noche Buena items, but the DTI assures consumers that the DTI Consumer Policy and Advocacy Bureau (CPAB) made a thorough assessment of all price adjustments. It even actively engaged with the manufacturers to come up with reasonable price adjustments. These were done to ensure that consumer rights remain protected. DTI assures consumers that the price adjustments are minimal and justifiable so get the best value for their money.

DTI, in collaboration with the manufacturers, focused on the reasonableness of the price adjustments, which ranged from 0.59% to 30.77% compared to the previous year’s price guide. The revised rates were primarily attributed to increased costs of imported and local raw materials (meat, sugar, cheese curd, soya bean, wheat at tomato paste), packaging materials, labor, power, and distribution costs.

DTI 11 Regional Director Romeo Castañaga confirmed that the DTI Fair Trade Group (FTG) carefully scrutinized the price adjustment proposals that various manufacturers submitted before releasing the 2024 Noche Buena price guide.

“The DTI approved the price guide for these seasonal products, as they are deemed essential and staple during Christmas gatherings and New Year festivities. Price monitoring of these products will start immediately in addition to the price monitoring of basic necessities and prime commodities under DTI’s jurisdiction,” he added.

The regional trade official urged consumers to be smart at all times by carefully examining product labels for expiration dates, price tags, and potential allergens. Additionally, He highlighted the opportunity to save money by taking advantage of promotional items, bundled products, or discounted prices.

“During this time, make your Noche Buena shopping more efficient by preparing a grocery list and using the 2024 price guide as a reference,” Castañaga said.

The 2024 Noche Buena price guide can be downloaded from the DTI website (https://www.dti.gov.ph/konsyumer/e-presyo/). The DTI 11 official Facebook page, DTI Region 11, can also be visited for more updates. ♦

Date of release: 26 November 2024

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