Dis-Chem charged for inflating mask prices from 28 March

The commission says it has asked the Competition Tribunal to impose a maximum penalty against Dis-Chem.

A Dis-Chem pharmacy. Picture: Twitter @dischem

The Competition Commission has referred Dis-Chem to the Competition Tribunal for inflating prices during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement on Thursday, the commission said this comes after an investigation it conducted which found that the national pharmaceutical company “has charged excessive prices on essential hygienic goods to the detriment of customers and consumers in contravention 0f Section 8 (1)(a) of the Competition Act”.

The company was charged for inflating prices of surgical face masks from 28 March.

“Subsequently, the commission established that prior to the declaration of a national state of disaster, Dis-Chem was selling the three types of masks” at lower prices, with one of the types inflated by R43.47, excluding VAT, for 50 masks to R156.95, an increase of 261%.

“People who sell these essential products ought to appreciate that these are literally life saving items right now,” the commission said in a statement.

The commission called on retailers to refrain from exploiting and taking advantage of “cash strapped consumers” during the national lockdown, which was implemented to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

“The commission has asked the tribunal to impose a maximum penalty against Dis-Chem.”