Medical shops exploit customers on sale of face masks in Amaravati

Amaravati: The medical shops in the state are exploiting the people while selling face masks. As the people get feared in the wake of the sporadic incidents of Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in the country, they started purchasing face masks as a safety precautionary measure. The medical shops have been creating artificial shortage of masks in the state to gain more profits by exploiting customers.

Seeing high potential in this face masks business, all of sudden the medical shop owners increased the prices of them in an abnormal, unethical and even illegally.

For instance, a pack of 100 pieces of face mask elastic with a nose clip has the Maximum Retail Price of Rs 750. But, the medical shop at Undavalli village in the capital city Amaravati sold at Rs 2000. When the customer (Customer name protected on request) questioned the shop owner over the increase of the prices in an unfair manner, the shop owner replied that there was a huge shortage for the masks. Further, the shop owner said that that was the only face mask pack available and all the stock was sold out. The shop owners were telling the customers that if they want it then purchase otherwise leave it. In that critical position, the customers were forced to purchase the masks at exorbitant prices.

In another case, when this correspondent went to a medical shop namely Pushkar Pharmacy at Brindavan Gardens, near NTR Stadium in Guntur town, the shop owners did not reveal the actual price of the masks. Instead of selling the entire pack of the 100 pieces, the shop owners sold in single pieces. The shop owner collected Rs 15 per each piece of the mask. The actual price of this mask is just Rs 7. When asked why did they increase the price of the masks suddenly, the owner (did not reveal his name) replied that only a couple of days ago the prices increased. He further added that it was the last pack of masks and the stock was not available in the market. He further added that after a great struggle from the morning to evening, he was able to get only one box of the masks set.

This is not only the situation in Guntur or Vijayawada but also at many places in the state, informed the sources. The public is demanding the state government to take immediate action on the medical shops and ensure that the supply of masks must be available at regular prices. If it is possible, the government has to mandate the medical shops and masks manufacturing units to sell them at affordable prices, said K Narasimha Rao, a resident at Guntur.