Manipur’s amazing pricing system

People in Manipur are bullied with the mechanism of trading as some commodities are marketed at higher than the printed price while some are sold far lesser than the printed price, in the heart of Imphal.
People are either ignorant or reluctant to complain over it. The mindset of ‘Let it be’ has been a social malady in the state.
The local diary milk packets of 500 ml each are sold at Rs. 25 as against the printed price of Rs. 22. When asked, the vendor’s reply was ‘everyone sells the same at Rs. 25 so do I’. But it is printed only Rs. 22? The answer was ‘so what, who cares for Rs. 3 today? Where can we get the change?’ But you should have at least returned either match boxes or sweets for the change? The answer was easy ‘leave it if you don’t want to buy’. The consumer had no option, but to get it for the family. He gave a Rs. 50 note to get a packet of milk. The vendor returned him a Rs. 20 note and a soap that cost Rs. 5 saying I don’t have the change. This was a story narrated by a consumer to Pothashang with many similar cases.
On the other, the mobil oil for Kinetic scooter is sold in the market for Rs. 70, Rs. 80 and 90 per 500 ml bottle at different shops. However the printed selling price is only Rs. 140. A consumer told Pothashang such printed price helps the sellers to fool around people and can even sell the product at the printed price when the whole sale price is just Rs. 55 per 500 ml bottle.

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