Consumers laments as supermarkets charge stamp duty on commodities

Some residents of Awka, the Anambra capital, have lamented the introduction of stamp duty charges on basic consumables, especially bread, by some supermarkets.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some department stores in Awka which also double as bakers place a charge of N50 on every purchase of N1,000 and above.

While a regular size of bread sells for an average of N1,700 at the supermarket, the price in the streets goes for an average of N2,000.

But some residents who spoke to NAN said charging stamp duty on bread which was a basic food item was not acceptable in the face of the prevailing economic situation.

Mr Godfrey Ezeumeh who bought at a popular supermarket in the Kwara area expressed surprise at the levy of N50.

Ezeumeh said instead of the government forcing supermarkets to collect N50 on bread from members of the public, it should rather subsidise the commodity to enable more people to afford it.

He said it was unacceptable that after paying between N1,600 and N1,800 for a loaf of bread, the customer was still forced to part with additional N50.

‘‘It is wrong for government to make people to pay stamp duty on bread, bread is a basic food that most families can no longer afford, it should be subsidised so that people can be able to buy.

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“There was a time when we bought a regular size of bread for between N300 and N400 in the streets because they were everywhere, but now rely on supermarkets which make bread and pay as much as N1,700,” he said.

A woman who identified herself simply as madam Gloria said there were outlets which did not charge stamp duty.

Gloria said it should be a matter of policy that customers who bought bread and other consumable items like snacks were not charged stamp duty.

She said producers of bread should be supported so that the prize of bread could become affordable, adding that it was unfair that a loaf of bread which could not serve a family of six could cost as much as N2,000.

“I do not know if it is individual policy of the Supermarkets to charge stamp duty on bread while others do not may be because they have added it secretly but government should intervene by stopping them from doing so,” she said