The Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) expressed concern Monday about the implications of PriceCheck, a new government price comparison app, particularly regarding the concept of “approved price margins”.But Acting Director of Consumer Affairs Bertram Johnson pushed back on suggestions that the government was seeking to impose price controls. He clarified that no official price margin mandate exists for retailers, despite references to pricing outliers in the app’s internal system.The PriceCheck app is a free service by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, designed to give consumers up-to-date information on essential goods and help them find the best deals. Johnson has hailed the app as a “milestone achievement” saying it was a key step in digitising the department’s services and meeting consumer needs.BPSA chairman Trisha Tannis voiced her concerns following Johnson’s comments during the PriceCheck launch. Tannis said she was particularly interested in understanding whether the government had introduced a new approved price margin, a measure not currently in use within the private sector.
