A flyer urging consumers to boycott Massy Stores in Saint Lucia has appeared on social media, asserting that the outlets have ‘ridiculously high’ grocery prices.
The boycott is due on Thursday, November 2, 2023, according to The Fairhill Movement SLU, which has organised the protest.
“Boycotting a store due to high prices is a common reason for consumer action,” the social media flyer observed.
“If you believe that Massy Stores or any other retailer is charging unreasonably high prices, let’s choose to shop at alternative stores that offer more competitive or fair pricing,” it stated.
“Amplify your voice,” the flyer declared.
It featured an inset of cans of Seabelle tuna fish in oil with a $6.25 price tag.
Consumers have complained on radio talk shows about the hike in the tuna fish price, which they said was formerly $5.25.
The President of the National Consumers Association (NCA), Dr. Thecla Fitz-Lewis, although unaware of the Massy Stores boycott call when contacted Wednesday morning by St. Lucia Times, asserted the right of consumers to protest.
However, regarding whether the NCA would support the consumer action, Fitz-Lewis said the organisation would have had to meet to discuss the issue.
“To speak for the association that means we would have had to have a meeting to discuss where do we see ourselves in the process. In the absence of doing that, as President I cannot take an autonomous decision and say, ‘We support it,'” she told St. Lucia Times.
“They are not doing anything unlawful,” the NCA President explained regarding the Massy Stores boycott call.
She noted there are no price controls on every item.
In addition, Fitz-Lewis stated that from a business perspective, the government cannot put price controls on every item.
“We are challenged by a lot of logistical issues that affect the prices of goods and some services in Saint Lucia, and that’s the shipping costs that we have no control over,” the NCA President stated.
Nevertheless, Fitz-Lewis asserted that consumers have a right to protest if they feel aggrieved, especially amid the exponential price increases in supermarkets, especially for essential food.
It’s about time..
Speak out lucians 🙏🙏🙏💯
God is Alive ❗
NCA allu a bunch of useless people allu wasn’t aware ain’t that allu job not now people crying concerning the high prices of goods at the supermarket hypocrites gasu because I love my country and not party I’ll not call for riot but to see my fellow youths on the block no work in the country yet still everything going up
Yes, Massy prices have gotten out of control. $25.99 for a kilo of Iceberg lettuce!!! How do they justify these prices? I’m all for a boycott, but there is nowhere else in the north to shop. CPJ, hurry up and open!
I agree.
While I support the right for protesting but that shouldn’t be a target one like Massy. This price hike should be taking at the doorstep of the ministry of commerce and trade, not just a retail store. If one is suggesting that massy is hiking price then just buy at other stores or outlets, who is putting a gun to shopper’s head to shop there at Massy? Why not protest to the Banks equally, because these 2 entities use a formula and they don’t bent it for no one (well personal friends) NCA is just a white elephant in my books, an entity collecting taxpayers money. If the article quoted correctly that as a president of an organization said they can’t support your move, then who will? why such entities? The better approach would be just don’t shop there let the goods go expire that’s all. Pertinent issues we need to put pressure on and make decisive positive decisions in that regard. Question what happen after 2nd November you think that will hurt Massy? Think strategically that pack a punch not just egoistic means.
No problem with the boycott but at least be truthful. The last price was $5.99 and not $5.25
Haha! Chas go suffer..
It’s a delebrate ploy by Massy…revenge on the consumers . Just wait and see.. you guys will remember that comment
Finally
Well I guess if it’s not about the opposition the government doesn’t have any reason to investigate these type of allegations …. just saying
I boycotted those high price stores soon after elections. I was nit taken by surprise. Presently, I am planting my own food, and urging other Lucians to do fhe same. Cheers.
Price control starts with the distributor: which filters down to customs (they impose the ridiculous taxes even if the goods are “essential” and not a luxury), which filters down to the cabinet for approval (or is it the other ways around?), which filters down to the retailer = then Joe Public pays the price!!
Tangled web? Yes … but it is MANAGEABLE, starting from the TOP! Look what happened to the “essential” sanitary napkins.
As for the NCA – they are still “newbies” in the customer service game. But their hands are still tied with “duct tape” (which is easy to break), and are still in their “forming” stage. But they really need to do a lot of field trips – instead of Joe Public doing it for them.
I support the flyer. Boycott them. As a matter of fact I don’t go to Massy at all.
that’s true cause if we boy cut them a lot of their goods will not sell and they will soon expire forcing them to reduce the prices even further cause they will have endless of goods their expiry date coming close to an end. Lets go and shop at CPJ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNHp0Vr9dFI
lol i already know what their theme song is for that day Lmao
Let me see if Politicians will support the move vocally.
I support it 100% let’s do it for a month and more if no change
It was high time for this.These prices are ridiculous at massy supermarket. Smh smh
Welcome to the club you fools I have been saying this for a long time since the JQ Days days when a certain scoundrel was enriching himself on the backs of the working poor of nation. From the time I saw a lady brought 3 American limes for 9 EC that was it for me so I went and plant my own lemons and limes which is in abundance along with so many other goodies I
only go in that store to pay a bill when I am lazy to go into town to stand on lines.. I find St Lucians to be just lazy little things they can plant at home to sustain themselves they won’t do it all they want is the American junk. Well I wish them luck …..in the words of The Most Honorable Luis Farrakhan “who feeds you own you”
I have already done so
Only shopping at my neighborhood minimarts and stores much better
And I even get my vegs there
So no more massy for me.
We need to take a stand against injustice
Enough
I lmao. I am going to do all my shopping today (Wednesday) and will make sure I boycott Massy on Thursday.
Massy, I tell straight, you will see me today, but no way will you see me on Thursday. LOL LOL LOL LOL
TOTALLY SUPPORT THIS AND IN ADDITION IF THE ORGANIZERS COULD ENCOURAGE A BOYCOTT ONE DAY EVERY WEEK…. ALMOST LIKE A NO MASSY DAY EVERY THURSDAY TILL WE BRING THEM TO HEEL ….I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ST.LUCIANS LET US ALL RALLY …THIS IS FOR US….. MASSY DESERVES TO MAKE A PROFIT TO RUN BUT THE PRICES ARE RIDICULOUS COMPARED TO OTHER MERCHANTS…SO THE NOTICE IS OUT MASSY SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT
You guys have summer all year ..not sure why you are not growing your own vegetables. If you do, you will have no issue with Massy or Sassy.
By the way, in every part of the world prices are skyrocketed unless you are residing under a rock and that’s the reality. As for canned tuna, it has always been expensive everywhere under the sun, unless you get it in sale. Therefore, if you have issue with it ..go buy the really tuna fish from the ocean which is way better.
I stand in solidarity with the people to boycott massy supermarket we need also to protest on the streets
Hoe is Massy uh?? Is government that put a 2.5% VAT, sorry “levy” on goods and services compounding the price of everything including food, by 2.5% on top if the 12.5% VAT. What did we expect, Milk and honey?? According yo our prime minister we gave him our blessings when we said and did NOTHING. Now you wamt me to boycott Massy!!??!! At least with my Massy Points I will get $0.06 cents on each can of Tuna fish. At least when I “compound” my massy groceries I can use my Points for the year to get a ham this Christmas. What government giving again?? #de_ban_hyppocrites!
Vacancies at Massy:
Join our teams of price markers.
Guaranteed employment for ever.
Just have to reprice everything on a daily basis.
I fully support a boycott of Massy over the high prices, but a lot is left to be desired of some of the comments.
First of all do we have alternative choices. In the north there is CPJ, DAX and Suzie’s Variety. In the south only Suzie’s and Southwell, nothing else east or west. With the exception of DAX and Southwell, patrons need transaction to access the others.
Secondly, we can never provide everything we want from our kitchen garden. There are things that we will have to face the supermarkets for.
So we need to be realistic. The prices at the alternatives are almost and in some cases higher than Massy. The small shops buy from Massy to resell and they too are higher.
Just a gentle reminder to Crow, I don’t know if you are Richard Frederick but you are too obsessed with Chastenet. Michael Chastenet sold all his interest to Massy which means he doesn’t own or have shares in Massy.
My concern where is price control in St Lucia is there any just asking a question?
I agree to boycott
I support this 100%
What astonishes me most is people across the Caribbean buying some imported goods that are higher in price, and won’t buy local, even when there are cheaper local alternatives of the same or better quality. Something in our psyche is telling us that the imported ones are better, and the local ones are inferior. If we continue with that mentality, our economic challenges will only get worse.
Im ready
Bravo to the individual who suggested the boycott of Massy stores in Saint Lucia. I have been posting for a while now about the ridiculous prices at Massy. This reminds me of the days of Cable and wireless when we we robbed in plain sight with telephone rates – with rest of the world calls at $15 a minute. Thanks to Calixte George, those days are no more. But we need more Calixte Georges in government , not those idiots we now have governing us. They have stood by and said nothing about the abuses of that supermarket chain allowing for example a container of tang sold on Amazon for US$8 to be retailed here for over EC$100. Robbery in plain sight. Government are elected to protect us from price gouging like this but in Saint Lucia our government don’t care one rats arse about our plight. Oh how I miss Calixte. Oh how I long for the day when another supermarket chain will be allowed in Saint Lucia so Massy can be permanently boycotted and leave like Cable and wireless did. OH HOW I HATE THAT SUPERMARKET CHAIN WITH A PASSION!!!! So l
Fellow Lucians support our indigenous supermarkets, the Southwells, community marts, Chitolies and the smaller shops. Let’s take a stand. As for me I shop at the supermarket when no where else has what I need.
It was time..
My complaints have fallen on deaf ears and met with the customary Lucian response of a shrug of the shoulders for 2 years now. Things go missing off shelves for weeks on end, then reappear $2-3 dearer. We have 3 branches of Massy within 30 minutes’ drive, and sometimes have to visit all 3 to end up with one full bag. Its not shopping, its foraging near empty shelves for expensive, poor quality produce, then get treated badly at the checkout. Better competition is required
I LIVE IN ENGLAND AND I’M IN FULL SUPPORT!!
WAS HERE IN AUGUST AND I COULDN’T BE THE PRICE OF BABY FORMULA!!!
PLEASE DON’T STAY HOME…..COME OUT IN LARGE NUMBERS…
Let me ask a simple question: If the manufacturer increase his price what should Massy do? Why don’t you boycott the airlines also? Boycott also the US Embassy. And while you are doing that, don’t forget to boycott the gas stations also. Of course I am being sarcastic.