Supermarket chain Nakumatt under fire for pricing discrepancies

Kenyan supermarket chain Nakumatt Holdings is under fire from Kenyans on social media over concerns that it is cheating customers out of their hard earned money by under-pricing goods on the shopping aisle shelves and quoting a different, higher price at the point of payment.

The pile-on against Nakumatt started when several irate customers shared their experiences of being overcharged at Nakumatt branches. One customer, former radio presenter Marcus Olang posted photos of the goods he had bought on Facebook along with the price quoted on the shelf and the one at the point of pay, showing the discrepancy.

Olang also detailed his experience on Facebook saying he had lost faith that the discrepancies were made “accidentally.”

“This has happened a number of times in the past, and now I don’t buy that Nakumatt stores do this “accidentally”. I highly suspect deliberate deception at play here,” he said.

“I’m now questioning the integrity of Nakumatt’s operations. The fact that this has happened more than once bothers me. I wonder whether they take advantage of the fact that many people don’t check their receipts, and thus get away with such deception,” added Olang.

Kumbe I am not the only one that has experienced @Nakumatt inflation between the shelf and the till !!! #NakumattOnTrial

— Olokun Orunmilla (@TheBahati) May 18, 2015

I felt helpless when it happened to me twice and the cashier at Galleria nonsensed me for raising such a ‘small’ issue #NakumattOnTrial — Diana Wesonga (@Dikarimi) May 18, 2015

@DigitFrontiers@WanjikuRevolt these ‘human errors’ occur only in raising & not lowering the prices? #NakumattOnTrialpic.twitter.com/CcuSCyMe7S

— DVJ Khinoti. (@DVJKHINOTI) May 18, 2015

Nakumatt’s competitors like Tuskys and Naivas might be taking some pleasure in its troubles but – based on some postings – they too should tread carefully.

It doesn’t only happen in Nakumatt, Others retailers also do av experienced at tuskys and naivas #NakumattOnTrial

— Think Tank (@mwangid) May 18, 2015

Nakumatt & indeed all the other supermarkets should desist from the habit of extorting unsuspecting Kenyans their money #NakumattOnTrial — Jackson Letangule (@JLetangule) May 18, 2015

The pricing irregularities are bad enough but it appears Nakumatt’s problems extend further.

Sad that @Nakumatt Does not only cone their customers . This is what they sold to @estherhalakeh#NakumattOnTrialpic.twitter.com/UXjBIGD784

— Cyprian, Is Nyakundi (@C_NyaKundiH) May 18, 2015

Nakumatt has emerged from under the torrent of complaints and criticism to say the company is addressing the matter.

Thank you all for your feedback today, we are taking corrective action on all matters raised.

— Nakumatt (@Nakumatt) May 18, 2015

Customer complaints are the school books from which we learn.

— Nakumatt (@Nakumatt) May 18, 2015

The company also released a statement on Monday evening blaming the discrepancies on “slow updating of shelf price stickers.” Nakumatt also said the problem was “isolated and inadvertent” and added it would be introducing “price checker kiosks on all aisles to assist customers confirm product pricing by simply scanning the product bar-codes.”

Here’s the full statement from Nakumatt Holdings in response to the furor over pricing discrepancies.