Utility Stores Fail to Meet Sales Targets Amid Price Hike
Meanwhile, the recent wave of inflation has not spared the utility stores which are meant to provide relief to the people by offering products at subsidized rates
The utility stores across Pakistan failed to meet sales targets as the prices of daily-use commodities spiked amid public outcry and flour shortage added insult to the injury.
Utility Stores Corporation (USC) had set the sales targets at Rs 11.75 billion for December 2020 under Prime Minister Relief Package. However, the transactions could only stand at Rs 8.65 billion during the last month of the outgone year.
According to the available documents, the utility stores in all nine zones of the country failed to meet monthly sales targets.
The difference in the set and achieved targets was recorded to be around Rs 3.9 billion.
However, the sales were Rs 1.52 billion higher than the preceding month of November.
During December, the transactions of the Lahore zone remained the highest with Rs 1.55 billion followed by the Islamabad zone with Rs 1.43 billion.
The least sales volume was recorded in the Quetta zone which was around Rs 370 million only.
Utility Stores Corporation (USC) officials blamed the shortage of flour at outlets as the main reason behind the dip in sales volume during December.
They added that the sales could have been higher if the flour was shelved in all stores across the country.
Meanwhile, the recent wave of inflation has not spared the utility stores which are meant to provide relief to the people by offering products at subsidized rates.
The people have been gifted with hiked prices of essential items at all utility outlets.
The rates of different brands of soaps have been increased by up to Rs 7 while the prices of diapers of different companies have been hiked by Rs 60.
The rates of 250ml bottle of hand-wash have been jacked up by up to Rs 15 while those of multi-purpose cleaners are up by Rs 29.
The rates of shoe polish, both solid and liquid forms, have surged by Rs 12.
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The price of 800ml juice bottles has been hiked by up to Rs 31 while there is an up-change of Rs 3 in the prices of soft drinks too.
There is an addition of around Rs 15 in the prices of different spices.
The price of 1400grams packet of powdered milk has increased by a whopping Rs 97 while the rate of a one-kilogram (kg) pack of washing powder has surged by Rs 10 too.
