08/08/2022 (New Straits Times), Kuala Lumpur - Supermarkets in the Klang Valley have begun enforcing the ceiling price of RM34.70 for 5kg bottled cooking oil.

However, checks by the New Straits Times team at several stores in Cheras, Ampang, Setiawangsa and Seri Kembangan revealed that a number of 5kg cooking oil bottles were left untouched.

A supermarket staff in Ampang said although the ceiling price for 5kg bottled cooking oil had been capped at RM34.70, small stocks were taken from suppliers as the sale had been slow since the price increase last month.

"Many customers prefer to buy the 1kg polybags cooking oils as it is cheaper compared to the bottled ones.

"This is why we do not take large stocks from the suppliers as it will only incur loss for us," said the staff, who wanted to remain anonymous.

Meanwhile, a check at one of the supermarkets here revealed that the new ceiling price for 5kg bottled cooking oil bottles were not displayed.

A supermarket staff who wished to be known as Atiqah said the staff were notified last week on the matter and the supermarket was in the process of revising the price to be displayed for cooking oils according to the ceiling price.

"Although some cooking oils on the shelves still display the normal price of RM37 to RM42, the system has been updated to the new ceiling price," she said.

She added that there was also no purchase limit for cooking oil at the supermarket.

Meanwhile, an assistant manager from a supermarket in Seri Kembangan said he was unaware of the new ceiling pricing for 5kg bottles of cooking oil.

He, however, said the supermarket offered a different range of price for 5kg bottled cooking oil from RM33 to RM38.

"We are unaware of the new announcement made and there is no instruction from the management team so far.

"All the pricing for the 5kg bottled cooking oils is different," he added.

On Aug 1, Special Task Force on Jihad Against Inflation chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa announced that palm cooking oil in five kg bottles would be sold at RM34.70 this month starting today.

He mentioned that the price was set following the implementation of the monthly maximum cooking oil price based on the price of one tonne of crude palm oil (CPO) at RM4,063 for August which was announced by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2022/08/820430/slow-sale-5kg-bottles-cooking-oil