DTI Urges Smart Holiday Shopping with New Price Guide
As the festive season approaches, the Department of Trade and Industry Region 11 (DTI11) is calling on Dabawenyos to practice careful budgeting and vigilance when purchasing Noche Buena items. This advisory comes alongside the official release of the 2025 Noche Buena Price Guide, a comprehensive resource designed to help consumers navigate holiday shopping.
What's Inside the 2025 Price Guide
Released on November 5, the updated guide features suggested retail prices for 256 product stock-keeping units (SKUs) sourced from 22 different manufacturers. The guide covers an extensive range of 14 categories filled with traditional holiday favorites that Filipino families look forward to each Christmas.
Among the essential items included are holiday hams, queso de bola, fruit cocktail, various pasta types, sauces, cheese, and classic Filipino desserts such as nata de coco and kaong. This wide coverage ensures that shoppers can plan their entire Noche Buena feast using the guide as reference.
Empowering Families During Crucial Shopping Period
DTI 11 Regional Director Romeo L. Castañaga emphasized that the primary goal of the price guide is to empower families to make informed purchasing decisions that maximize their budgets. He stressed the importance of strategic planning during this critical shopping season.
"During this crucial shopping period, we urge you to make your Noche Buena preparations more efficient," Castañaga advised. "Always prepare a grocery list, and critically, use the 2025 Price Guide as your primary reference to maximize your budget and time."
Minimal Price Increases and Consumer Protection
The DTI Fair Trade Group (FTG) confirmed that while some products show price adjustments, the increases remain minimal, ranging between 0.22% and 5.71%. These modest adjustments are attributed to higher costs in several areas including raw materials, packaging, logistics, and labor.
To help consumers cope with these changes, the FTG actively engaged manufacturers to maintain prices on major items and introduce promotional bundles. These special offers provide additional savings opportunities for budget-conscious shoppers.
Rigorous Review and Ongoing Monitoring
Castañaga assured the public that the guide underwent a stringent review process before its official release. The DTI Fair Trade Group meticulously examined every price adjustment proposal submitted by manufacturers to ensure all figures were justifiable and fair to consumers.
"The DTI approved the price guide for these seasonal products, as they are deemed essential and staple during Christmas gatherings and New Year festivities," Castañaga explained.
Price monitoring of Noche Buena products will begin immediately, operating alongside the department's regular monitoring of basic necessities and prime commodities under DTI jurisdiction.
Practical Tips for Holiday Shoppers
DTI recommends several practical strategies to help consumers stretch their holiday budgets:
- Prepare a detailed grocery list before shopping
- Compare prices across different stores using the guide
- Take advantage of promotional bundles and special offers
- Use the price guide as your primary shopping reference
The 2025 Noche Buena Price Guide is now available for download through multiple channels. Consumers can access it via the DTI website at www.dti.gov.ph/konsyumer/e-presyo or through the official Facebook page of DTI Region 11.
