Slight price increase seen in e‑kalathi products

Prices of products in the e-kalathi app have risen slightly, the Consumers Association said on Monday, referring to the first two months of 2026.

This data comes from the association’s new price observatory, which said the average total increase for January and February was 0.77 per cent.

In contrast, a small decrease of 0.51 per cent was recorded when compared to August 2025.

The association also highlighted that several large supermarket chains operating nationwide continue to offer only a very limited selection of products in e-kalathi.

The statement noted that this limited availability significantly restricts consumer choices.

Daily monitoring indicates that pricing in e-kalathi is heavily influenced by the pricing strategies of competing supermarkets.

For instance, one supermarket has raised its prices while its competitor has not, only to reduce its prices the following day to remain competitive, the report showed.