AN application developed by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) in 2017 has become a platform for people to compare prices, according to a Bernama report.
KPDN National Price of Goods Division director Selvi Shanmugam said that with the PriceCatcher app, users could plan their daily expenses by comparing prices.
The 480 items in the app include fresh and dry products, packaged, canned, boxed or bottled products, milk and baby products, hygiene products and beverages, from among nearby premises.
“The app provides users with options to shop at the listed premises based on selected items.
“Users can check and compare the prices in advance and identify the premises that offer the lowest price.
“Users can also estimate the total cost of their purchases using 10 selected items placed in ‘My Basket’,” she added.
Selvi said the mobile app, which could be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store, Apple App Store and Huawei App Gallery, had many features, including searching by item, product category and location.
She said the app would display the prices of goods for premises based on the user’s location, that is within a 10km radius for peninsular Malaysia and Labuan, and within a 20km radius for Sabah and Sarawak.
She said KPDN constantly monitored the prices of goods at 1,500 premises, including wet markets, hypermarkets, supermarkets, mini markets and convenience stores, and the information was available through the app.
Selvi said prices for fresh and dry goods at wet markets, hypermarkets and supermarkets would be updated daily except on public holidays, while those for packaged goods, milk and baby products would be updated weekly.
“Hygiene and beverage products are updated monthly.
“Mini markets and convenience stores are included in weekly and monthly monitoring.
“The update time for prices of goods at wet markets is before 9.30am, while for hypermarkets and supermarkets, it is before noon,” she said.
She added that the prices displayed in the app were real-time prices at the premises, recorded during monitoring by KPDN’s price monitoring officers.
“These prices, however, are subject to changes made by the sellers, and this is beyond our control,” said Selvi.
PriceCatcher app users can also channel complaints on trader misconduct to KPDN via WhatsApp at 019-279 4317 or 019-848 8000, or by calling the call centre or hotline at 1-800-886-800.
Complaints can also be made through the e-aduan.kpdn.gov.my portal, email e-aduan@kpdn.gov.my, and through the Ez ADU KPDN app.
