The price guide includes 240 shelf keeping units (SKUs)—which manufacturers use to identify and track their inventory—such as ham, fruit cocktail, pasta, spaghetti sauce and queso de bola. A 430-gram of Dole fruit cocktail went up from P63 to P63.83, while a 3-kilo Del Monte Fiesta brand in extra light syrup increased from P279.95 to P298. Market forcesNograles said prices of cheese products increased by as much as P49, the highest among the listed items. The DTI does not regulate or approve prices of noche buena products, unlike essential food items and necessities as mandated by the Price Act. As market forces dictate their pricing, the surge in demand during the Christmas holidays tends to push prices higher.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer November 22, 2023 14:39 UTC