Coronavirus | Pharmacy guilty of over-charging for face masks

The Competition Commission has ordered a pharmacy in Boksburg, Gauteng to donate hand sanitisers, surgical gloves and face masks - valued at R25 410.00 - to two old aged homes in its area of business.

This comes after the Commission found Heunis CC, trading as Centrum Pharmacy, was charging excessive prices for face masks during the coronavirus lockdown period.

The Commission found that Centrum Pharmacy to be in contravention of the Competition Act (excessive pricing) and the Consumer Protection Regulations.

After a tipoff, the Commission investigated and found that the pharmacy's average mark-up in respect of facial masks for March 2020 was in excess of 100%, significantly above its average mark-up on "non-essential" products.

Centrum Pharmacy did not sell facial masks before March 2020. It sourced masks from various suppliers due to the sudden demand and panic-buying brought on by the state of national disaster.

The pharmacy has also agreed to significantly reduce its mark-up on facial masks with immediate effect for the duration of the state of national disaster.