The prosecutor's office of the Ayagoz district in the Abai region has identified inflated prices for 6 out of 19 types of goods. At the same time, local executive bodies of the district provided inaccurate information to the regional centre, understating the actual prices.
According to the press service of the department, for example, with a set price for potatoes of 275 tenge, the actual cost was 415 tenge (+44%). Similar price inflations were found for carrots, onions, cabbage, milk, and kefir.
"Contrary to the requirements of the legislation, local executive bodies did not ensure proper monitoring, which led to data distortion and a lack of control over price increases. It was also found that there are no social stores for vulnerable segments of the population in the district," the statement says.
As a result of the prosecutor's intervention, monitoring was stepped up and work began to prevent price inflation in retail outlets. Consequently, prosecutors reached an agreement with two shops in Ayagoz to sell socially significant goods at reduced prices.
Recall that earlier, the Department of Trade and Consumer Rights Protection of the Pavlodar region identified instances of unjustified price increases for a number of socially significant food products (SSFPs).
Department employees established that some products were being sold with excessive mark-ups. For example, cabbage was purchased at 100 tenge per kilogram and sold at 450 tenge — a mark-up of 350%. Department staff also identified cases of price inflation for: carrots — by 275%, potatoes — by 106%, onions — by 86%, buckwheat groats — by 52%, and chicken meat — by 27%.