No More Price Gouging

The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection has fined two firms and warned 11 others after finding irregularities during a market monitoring drive in Kathmandu. Officials inspected 13 businesses in a single day. Two firms were penalized under the Consumer Protection Act, 2018, while the others received instructions to correct their practices. The move comes at a time when consumers are already facing rising prices and signs of shortages. Irregularities were found at Sindhu Fruits and Fresh Center in Madhyapur Thimi and Panchakanya Tridev Dairy Shop in New Baneshwor. The two firms were fined Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000 under Section 38 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2018, while the remaining businesses were instructed to amend their practices. The action deserves appreciation, as even small enforcement steps send a clear signal that the government is monitoring the market. In Nepal, such interventions matter. Recently, traders have often responded to crises elsewhere quickly, but not always fairly. The ongoing tension in the Middle East has again raised concerns about supply chains and fuel prices. In such moments, rumors spread faster than facts, and wholesalers and retailers are quick to raise prices or withhold goods, hoping to profit from artificial scarcity.