Shortage of packet cooking oil causes unrest among consumers
03 Jul 2022 10:14am
Shortage of packet cooking oil in grocery stores. - Bernama pic
A retiree, Nordin Abdullah, 59, said the grocery store around his neighbourhood here does not sell the cooking oil packets since January this year.
“There are not many shops around my neighbourhood since my house is located in the village so when there is no cooking oil packets, I have to go out of town to get it.
“The demand has seen many grocery shops selling limiting the sale of packet cooking oil," he told Sinar Harian.
Fast food restaurant worker Nor Azian Hassan, said he had to visit five grocery stores to get subsidised cooking oil.
"Not only the prices of bottled cooking oil has increased but it is difficult to find the cooking oil packets too, I had to stop by at five groecry shops to get it," he told Sinar Harian.
Housewife, and a mother of four, Puteri Najlaa Wajihah Wahab also prefers using packet cooking oil which is more affordable compared to bottled cooking oil.
"One packet only last for two weeks," she said.
Meanwhile, Ani Ahmad, 47, said she started noticing the shortage of cooking oil late last year, causing her to use oil sparingly.
"I have to cut down meals that uses large quantity of oil," said the restaurant worker.
On July 2, Sinar Harian reported that several supermarkets were found to sell bottled cooking oil by 40 percent more than before the ceiling prices were removed on July 1.
A survey by Sinar Harian at several supermarkets showed Seri Murni cooking oil rose by 44 percent to RM42.70, followed by Buruh brand sold at RM42.60 (43.5 percent); Alif, RM42.50 (43 percent); Vesawit, RM42.25 (42.5 percent) and Saji, RM42.20 (42 percent).
The price of 1kg bottle packs of various brands also showed an increase of 42 percent to RM9.50.
The survey further found several supermarkets selling bottled cooking oil at the last ceiling price set by the previous government, which was RM29.70 for a weight of 5kg, RM18.70 (3kg), RM12.70 (2kg) and RM6.70 (1kg) but it was limited to two bottles per family.
