Consumers are absorbing the impact of the fuel crisis, not just through base price increases, but
through the erosion of promotional discounts that previously kept costs lower.
The Consumer Council of Fiji has unveiled the findings of a comprehensive, multi-week
market surveillance exercise, revealing that Fijian households are grappling with a growing form of "hidden" inflation.
They say on average, commonly purchased goods are experiencing sustained price growth.
Products such as Jasmine rice, eggs, vape mats, cookies, teabags, bathing soap, sausages, washing powder, toilet paper and cooking oil have seen average price increases ranging from 15 percent to over 35 percent during the monitored period.
They say while many consumers look for drastic spikes in base prices at the supermarket checkout, the Council’s data analysis indicates that the more pervasive issue is the systematic erosion of promotional discounts.
The Council says retailers are increasingly narrowing the gap between standard retail prices and discounted prices, or in many instances, removing these discounts entirely.
They say this subtle shift means that while the sticker price on the shelf may remain unchanged, the final cost to the consumer is rising as the “discount buffer” that previously lowered the cost of living continues to shrink.
The Council says their investigation, which spanned from late March to early May 2026, tracked price
fluctuations across various supermarket chains nationwide to determine how the global fuel crisis is translating into real-world costs for families.
They say the analysis identified a concerning "two-tier" inflationary reality.
The Council says while price-controlled items still remain below the maximum set price, the average discounts offered on these items has reduced, meaning that consumers are ultimately paying more.
Highlighting the gravity of this trend, Council CEO, Seema Shandil, emphasized that the financial strain on families is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
She says their findings provide hard evidence of a creeping cost-of-living burden that is not always
immediately apparent to the naked eye.
Shandil says when the deep discounts that families rely on to stretch their budget are quietly reduced, it is the ordinary consumer who pays the price at the checkout.
She says they are seeing a 'discount illusion' where the retail environment feels stable, yet the actual purchasing power of every dollar is being slowly eroded.
The Council warns that this “staircase effect” where prices rise and rarely return to their previous baselines, is creating a new, more expensive standard for the cost of living.
The Council says as the global fuel crisis continues to impact supply chains, there is a significant risk that remaining discount buffers on staple items will be further depleted, leading to sharper increases in the total grocery bill.
The Consumer Council says they will continue to monitor prices of groceries in supermarkets over the
coming months, as Fijians prepare for more inflation driven by ongoing global economic instability.
The Council is also urging consumers to maximise their dollar by looking for the best bargains, doing comparative shopping and planning their budget well.
