PARLIAMENT yesterday approved the extension of dual price display until the end of the year instead of September.

Socialist lawmaker Marinos Sizopoulos, who tabled the bill, said that despite substantial public adjustment to the new currency, the Euro, it would be best to extend dual display – pounds and Euro – to help consumers.

Sizopoulos said the elderly still find it hard to understand the actual value of goods, while scrapping dual display at a time when inflation was rising would lead to unjustified price hikes.

Businesses expressed their disagreement with the measure, arguing that a lot of vendors have already ordered or prepared new price lists that do not carry the pound.

They warned that the decisions would lead to further price hikes at a time when inflation was on the rise.

“This decision insults the intelligence of Cypriot consumers and worsens the confusion created by dual display to sensitive groups,” a statement from the Trade and Industry Chamber said.

11/7/08, Cyprus Mail