Grocery costs now exceeding salaries, say consumers

 

One housewife says her family spends RM1,000 a month just on groceries. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: The hike in the prices of goods has hit the B40 income group the hardest as they try to make ends meet on an income that cannot cope with the rise in the cost of living.

Housewife and kuih seller Nora Abd Satar said she had to increase her prices to cover costs, especially before Hari Raya, causing some of her customers to question the price hike.

“Of course, the price has to go up. The price of margarine has already increased from RM4 to RM8, and the price of flour has gone up, too,” she told FMT.

According to the 36-year-old mother of five, she has to help her husband supplement his income as the cost of groceries has exceeded his monthly pay.

Another housewife, who only wanted to be known as Sharifah, said she could not rely solely on her husband, who works as a security guard, to provide for the family as his income could not cover the cost of groceries.

“There has been a significant increase in basic food items. A kilo of shrimp used to be RM28, now it’s RM35. A kilo of chicken used to be RM8 to RM9, now some even sell it at RM12 per kg.

“An estimated RM100 is only sufficient for three days of meals for a large family like ours.

“We spend around RM1,000 a month just on groceries. That doesn’t include our bills. It’s tough when our salary doesn’t reach RM2,000,” the 39-year-old said, adding that she has to take care of her three children and her parents.

Meanwhile, retired civil servant Suzaifa, 55, said the price of household items such as laundry soap had also increased.

However, she said the price hike varied from store to store and because of that, as a consumer, she had to compare prices before making a purchase.

“Consumers like us have to be wise at making comparisons,” she said. - FMT