The Consumer Council of Fiji believes the interim government should provide more incentives in the 2008 National Budget for consumers in various areas as they have been the most unfortunate group throughout the year.

Chief Executive Officer, Premila Kumar said government should reduce duty on food items that are commonly used in every household. She added that the government should be realistic in its consideration when reducing duty on food items. She said apparently the price hikes of food items have lessened the consumer affordability and consumption of healthy and quality food intake.

Kumar said the government should also reduce duty on building and hardware materials to make construction of houses affordable to consumers. According to some materials are very expensive and beyond an average income earning consumer's wallet.

Kumar also said that government needs to ensure that commonly prescribed drugs and antibiotics for common sicknesses and illnesses are affordable to consumers as some consumers cannot afford pharmaceutical drugs.

She also said government should review the regulated food items list including zero VAT list as they need to consider having more food as well as drugs and other necessary items that are commonly consumed by every consumer.

Kumar said prices consumers deserve due government consideration to their plight because price increases of goods and services have done great injustice to their mere unvarying take home pay.