KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) aims to attract at least 100,000 new users to the Price Catcher application by year-end, adding to the more than 552,000 downloads recorded so far.
Its Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh expressed confidence that the target could be achieved, noting that the Price Catcher application, introduced in 2019 as a price comparison platform, has proven highly useful in helping users make informed decisions when purchasing daily necessities.
She said that of the total number of registered users, only 62 per cent actively used the application, indicating that awareness of the Price Catcher platform remains low.
“I believe there are several factors contributing to this, including consumer habits, but the entire responsibility should not rest on consumers alone. Advocacy is a shared responsibility involving the ministry, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), consumers, and the community as a whole.
“It cannot be assumed that consumers are unaware simply because they do not want to know. It is the responsibility of all parties to ensure greater awareness of the application’s use,” she said in an exclusive interview with Bernama recently.
In this regard, Fuziah said KPDN continues to enhance the application to help consumers better understand the pricing of goods and use it as a tool for making informed purchasing decisions.
“We cannot control all prices, as we operate in a free market economy where prices are determined by supply and demand. However, consumers still have the power to choose.
She added that KPDN is also actively promoting the application through consumer advocacy initiatives such as the Buy Malaysian Goods Carnival, KPDN Tour, MADANI Rakyat Programme, and Rahmah Sales, among others.
“The Price Catcher advocacy booth and exhibition are open to the public for inquiries and assistance in downloading the application. KPDN also provides briefings on the application during its programmes,” she said.
Commenting on the main challenges in keeping the application updated to ensure consumers receive the latest price information, Fuziah said one issue is that some premises change their prices after monitoring has been carried out.
“These price changes depend on the business strategy of each premises. Some adjust their prices daily or twice a week, while others vary them based on the type of goods, such as fresh produce, which is often sold at higher prices.
She explained that price monitoring officers (PPH) conduct checks at wet markets early in the morning and update prices before 10 am, while monitoring at supermarkets is carried out according to their operating hours, with prices updated before noon.
In addition, Fuziah said another challenge is when monitored goods are not available on the shelves during inspections, resulting in no prices being recorded or displayed in the application.
“Despite these challenges, our monitoring shows that price changes are usually not significant, and the Price Catcher application can still guide consumers on the prevailing prices of goods for that day.
On the method of collecting price data, Fuziah said it is done through sampling, as monitoring every premise in Malaysia would require extensive manpower and incur high costs.
She added that the ministry currently has only 880 price monitoring officers, a number that needs to be increased given that 2,204 premises are being monitored at present. – Bernama