Shoppers in Greendale, Harare are reportedly snubbing Bakers’ Inn bread and opting for Lobel’s Bread.
The reason being that Bakers’ Inn is selling a loaf of bread for $3.50 while Lobel’s bread costs $2.50 a loaf.
The three main bakeries, Proton, Bakers’ Inn and Lobel’s hiked the price of a standard loaf of bread to roughly $3.50 last week, a move which was condemned by the government and consumer rights groups.
While retailers have generally turned a deaf ear to the government’s calls to reduce prices, it seems some are backtracking.
Writing on microblogging site Twitter, The Herald editor Ceasar Zvayi revealed that some consumers are now protesting using their purses. He wrote:
Labels are retailing at $2.50 a loaf while Bakers Inn is at $3.50 a loaf. I found a Bakers Inn truck parked at Athlone shops as the driver negotiated with the shop owner to take delivery. He was told no Bakers Inn loaf had moved and they couldn’t take anymore.
Retailers have been increasing prices of goods, citing the fall in the value of the RTGS dollar against the US dollar on the parallel market.