Face mask markup attracts ire, but retailers still need some incentive

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, authorities at various levels have made great efforts to stabilize the prices of commodities, especially daily necessities and those needed to prevent and control the epidemic, such as masks and sterilization supplies.

Some merchants who took advantage of the epidemic situation to jack up prices and make exorbitant profits have been seriously dealt with. Recently a pharmacy in Honghu, Hubei province, was fined by the local market supervision authority for selling masks it bought for 0.6 yuan at the retail price of 1 yuan, provoking widespread discussion.

Honghu's market management authority said it was illegal for the pharmacy to sell the masks at such a high retail markup. Local market regulations prohibit anybody from increasing the prices of medical and sterilization supplies needed to prevent an epidemic. Regulations say commodities that do not have a reference price are limited to a retail price markup of no more than 15 percent during this period.