Four months after a compact was put in place between Government and the private sector to set a cap on several food and household supermarket items, one consumer body is lamenting that residents have not yet seen any benefit.In fact, indicating that consumers were still suffering from “an exponential rise” in the cost of living in recent times, and with 61 days to go before the compact comes to an end, the Barbados Consumer Empowerment Network (BCEN) is planning to turn up the pressure on authorities to lower prices on everyday items.“The price of goods and services has increased while a few large players remain in control of the market. Some businesses and industries in Barbados have consolidated and the competition has weakened, and it is having a negative impact on many households,” the consumer body said in a statement on Thursday.“Up to this point, Barbadians are not feeling any relief and we have had conflicting announcements from certain segments of the business community. We have also heard from the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry,” the statement said.
