One 40g tube of toothpaste costs RM3.60. Two 40g tubes of the same brand of toothpaste should rightfully cost RM7.20.
But that’s not the case during a recent visit to a hypermarket in Bandar Baru Ampang, Selangor.
In fact, the price of a ‘value pack’ of two 40g tubes of toothpaste was displayed at RM7.50! One would expect a value pack to be cheaper than buying a single item, but that wasn’t the case here.
Situations like this often leave consumers dumbfounded. That too, if consumers took the trouble to calculate, and not take the price tags displayed at face value.
This scenario is not exclusive to this particular brand of toothpaste. Shampoos or milk cartons had been priced much higher than usual, despite the ‘value pack’ tags slapped on them.
The recent debate on the exorbitant price for a siakap (sea bass) comes to mind.
This came after a restaurant in Langkawi sold a sea bass dish for RM1,196.80. Breeders reportedly said they were caught off guard, claiming the fish was sold between RM16 and RM23 per kg.
The restaurant owner questioned the customer’s motive in going public with the price, despite having already agreed to pay for the 11-year-old fish, which weighed more than 7kg, and that was “actually not for sale”.
While we may never know the real story behind that incident, bear in mind that people are often left to their own devices when ordering food, especially seafood.
The bill often becomes the talking point after every meal. “Was it worth it? Was it overpriced?” Of course, all this is subjective – one man’s meat is another man’s poison.
However, the prices of products like haircare, dairy products or even toothpaste, should be pretty much straightforward. If one item is priced at RM1, a value pack containing two items logically, should be lesser than RM2, and not more.
Here’s to hoping that consumers open their eyes wide when looking at price tags. Do the maths, if you have to.
If the prices seem ‘fishy’, call the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry’s toll-free number at 1-800-886-800, or file a report online.
Make sure the value packs are indeed value for money.
