Companies are reaping from the strengthening of the shilling against major currencies as the fail to transfer the benefits of cheaper import cost to consumers.

Car dealers, pharmaceutical companies, makers of cooking fat and electronic dealers are some of the dealers benefiting from the change in fortunes of the shilling.

The shilling is trading at Sh85 to the dollar compared to a high of Sh107 in mid-October, prompting business owners to increase their product prices by an average of 20 per cent since the year opened.

Now, corporate Kenya say that benefits will take up to three months to be reflected on the price tags as the current stock was purchased when the currency market was volatile.

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Compare Supermarket Prices in Kenya | BeiYangu

When will people ever understand that the price of an item is not just determined by the cost of producing/acquiring it? For the last time, the greatest determinant is what the buyer is willing to pay!

Example: During the recent gas shortage, an estate trader offered me a cylinder at Sh4,000. I said no and went away. I was not willing to buy at more than Sh3,000. Two weeks later, I managed to buy some at a petrol station in CBD for the Sh3,000 that I was willing to pay.

So what was I using in the meantime? The picnic "Meko"

When that one also got finished, a supermarket offered it to me at Sh2,200. Again I said no way. Three days later, I bought it at a petrol station for Sh1,550.

Moral?

There is no point crying that businesses are charging "too much" If you think the price is too high, just say no and walk away. As you can see, I did exactly that for an essential product....

I also remember saying no to sugar at sh450 for 2kg... that was easy... just drunk "ndubia"