After fuel price hike, will prices of items go up? Up to management —supermarket group

After the big-time hike in fuel prices this week, will the prices of manufactured items such as canned goods, processed foods, drinks, and others go up? The decision is up to management, a group of supermarket owners said.

"Kapag tuloy-tuloy ito at taas nang tataas ang presyo dahil sa nangyayari sa (If this continues and the prices increase because of what is happening in the) Middle East, they may have to adjust somewhere along the way. When? That's a management decision. By how much? Again, management decision," Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association president Steven Cua said, according to GMA Integrated News reporter Bernadette Reyes.

Cua explained that the fuel price hike would lead to an increase in the distribution cost.

"Ipapasa sa amin ng distributor kung sino man ang nag-deliver sa amin, supplier namin. And then we'll have to pass on to consumers for sure. Even if we don't increase our margins, the mere fact na tumaas 'yung ilalim, gagalaw ng konti 'yung presyo pagbenta," Cua said.

(The distributor or whoever delivered to us, our supplier, will pass on to us [the added cost due to the oil price hike]. And then we'll have to pass on to consumers for sure. Even if we don't increase our margins, the mere fact that the cost increased, the selling price will move a bit.)

GMA Integrated News is getting the comment of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on the matter.

Meanwhile, the DTI said manufacturers of canned sardines gave the assurance that they would not increase the suggested retail price (SRP) of their products. They will put aside their earlier plan to have a P3 hike in canned sardines' prices.

This was after DTI Secretary Cristina Roque met with members of the Canned Sardines Association of the Philippines (CSAP) — led by Chattrade, Mega Prime Foods Inc., PERMEX, Universal Canning Inc., and Century Pacific Food Inc. (CPFI) — on Monday.

"They committed to maintaining the current suggested retail price for canned sardines, a staple in Filipino households," the DTI said.

The DTI monitors prices of canned fish, considered a basic necessity as per the amended Republic Act No. 7581 or the Price Act.

The department said it will continue to keep a close watch on the market to ensure prices remain stable and fair.

This week, a big-time price hike in fuel products is being implemented on a staggered basis.

The prices per liter of gasoline went up by P1.75, diesel by P2.60, and kerosene by P2.40 at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.

Fuel companies will implement the same changes at 6 a.m. on Thursday, June 26, reflecting the second tranche of adjustments after agreeing to the request of the Department of Energy (DOE) to implement the hikes on a staggered basis. —KG, GMA Integrated News