Mexico's Federal Consumer Attorney's Office, Profeco, has released a price comparison guide for gasoline, basic groceries, and school supplies.
The report comes as families face fluctuating costs during the back-to-school season, providing a benchmark to prevent overcharging by retailers and fuel stations.
Iván Escalante, head of Profeco, said there are disparities in fuel pricing across the country. In Puebla, some gas stations charged 29.99 pesos per liter, while the average price stood at 23.68 pesos [2]. According to the agency, some stations charge up to four pesos more per liter than others [1].
Grocery costs also showed sharp differences between major retailers. Profeco found that onions cost 23 pesos at Soriana but reached 42 pesos at Walmart [3]. These variations in the basic food basket emphasize the agency's push for consumers to compare prices before purchasing.
For the return to classes, Profeco monitored 689 products to track market trends [6]. The agency said the price of colored pencils ranges from 28 pesos to 75 pesos [4]. This monitoring is intended to help parents plan their budgets during a period of high spending.
Financial data from the last week also showed that 400 dollars converted to 6,987.38 pesos for families receiving remittances [5]. Profeco said the goal of these disclosures is to inform consumers and encourage savings through official guides.
“Some gas stations charge up to four pesos more per liter than others.”
The wide price disparities reported by Profeco suggest a lack of standardized pricing across Mexican retail and fuel sectors. By publicizing these gaps, the government is attempting to use transparency as a market regulator to curb opportunistic pricing during high-demand periods like the start of the school year.
