Prices for surgical face masks and shields capped by government

A disposable surgical face mask cannot be sold for more than 95c after the Economy Minister exercised his powers at law to fix prices of essential products.

The decision was communicated on Sunday evening and will come into force on Monday, 4 May when it becomes obligatory to wear a mask while shopping.

Silvio Schembri said the price order will cap the prices of surgical face masks at 95c and that of face shields at €5.

Last month, Opposition MP Jason Azzopardi had urged the government to use the power it has at law to cap prices of essential items.

Schembri has now used the power to fix the maximum price of masks, which have become obligatory for people to wear in shops and on public transport.

The price of face masks has fluctuated widely with some outlets charging irrational prices. The decision is expected to be welcomed by consumers.

Schembri said that the decision to cap the price of masks was taken after consultation with the consumer affairs authority, the Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of SMEs.

However, the decision has led some retail shops that stocked on face masks to question the 95c price tag put on the product by the government when they bought the disposable masks from importers at a higher price. 

The decision to impose the wearing of face masks came on Friday when government announced the lifting of restrictive measures to stop the spread of COVID-19.

From Monday, various retail outlets that were forced to close more than a month ago, will now be able to operate again.

READ ALSO: Find out what restrictions will be lifted from Monday

However, all shop employees and clients must now wear masks to minimise the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

Retailers that are caught selling masks at a price higher than that set by legal notice can be fined between €116 and €582 for a first contravention, which can then go up to a maximum of €2,329 for further breaches.

People can report abuse to the police on 22944504 or 22944511 or by email [email protected].