Barbers and hair salons have been insisting to charge higher for their services, according to the Barbers Association the long closure has impacted their revenue and the additional cost incurred for the SOP is leaving them desperate.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has heard their plea and is giving them allowance to impose additional charges due to the items they have to include in their inventory. Hair salons and barber a high risk sector under MOH list of shops, require these places to provide disposable aprons and use gloves when cutting hair.

But will the green light give rise to uncontrolled hair cut rates, barbers could take advantage of the situation and overcharge customers who have been waiting for a long time for a haircut. The statement issued by the Ministry will technically prevent the public from taking any legal action against unscrupulous merchants who might go a spree to ‘scalp’ their customers.

The Minister did state that the establishments must ensure that the additional charges were fair and based on the cost of procuring the items. But a card blanche to increase price is just going to open the flood gates.

If this industry can increase prices what about others who have suffered, can they do it too? To make it worse the Minister added, “I understand they must observe the stipulated Standard Operating Procedures to restart their businesses which increases their costs. However, this is the new normal which must be complied with to prevent the spread of COVID-19,”.

Expect more scalping people!