THE SUGGESTED retail prices (SRP) for food products used for the traditional Christmas eve feast, or noche buena, will be kept after the Trade department released the same price list from a year earlier.

The SRP that took effect on Tuesday will cover ham, fruit cocktail, cheese, pasta, sandwich spread, mayonnaise, macaroni, creamer and spaghetti and tomato sauce, according to a memo issued by the agency. The price timeline for some of the products will be more limited, such as some condensed milk that will be valid between Nov. 15 and Dec. 31.

Prices of Dole and Seasons brand products are valid for the month of December, while prices of some fruit cocktails will be valid from Dec. 15 to 31 only.

Ham products weighing a kilo will have a suggested retail price of P299 to P1025, while a 3-kilo fruit cocktail will cost P202.20 to P239.40, depending on the brand.

The SRP for 500 grams of cheese products is P118.20 to P269.5, while a 900g spaghetti could cost P57 to P87.65. Prices of one-kilo elbow and salad macaroni will be P64 to P98.65. A kilo of spaghetti sauce will cost P60.70 to P84.20, while tomato sauce will cost P62 to P78.25. Creamers will cost P47 to P75 depending on the size and brand.

Companies behind major brands such as Lady’s Choice, Clara Ole, Alaska and UFC said they would keep prices stable amid the economic crisis brought by a coronavirus pandemic, the Trade department said last week.

Meat processors CDO Foodsphere, Inc., Virginia Food, Inc. and Century Pacific Food, Inc. also said they won’t raise prices.

The agency last month evaluated applications from food companies to increase the prices of goods to cover higher operating costs.

Victorio A. Dimagiba, president of consumer group Laban Konsyumer, said in a mobile message that he was thankful that the call to stabilize the prices of noche buena products was heeded. Suggested retail prices apply to products sold in supermarkets and wet markets. — Jenina P. Ibañez

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