Outrage over allegedly expensive food at Havoc Food Festival

The Sun

19-05-2025

VISITORS to the Havoc Food Festival in Seremban 2 have taken to social media to express their frustration over allegedly overpriced food and beverages sold at the four-day event.
In a post on Threads, user @itazzizzati shared her disappointment after being charged RM35.90 for a small portion of rojak buah during her first visit to the festival.
'I only took two pieces of Java apple, half a guava, and one piece of pineapple. It was a small portion but I was charged RM35.90.
'Why is it so expensive?' she said, adding that the seller weighed the total by including the plastic bags and containers.
She also claimed the vendor 'forced' her to add chilli and other seasonings, and when she attempted to cancel the order due to the price, the seller refused, citing that the fruits had already been mixed.
She urged food vendors to clearly display the price per gram to avoid misunderstandings and to ensure that only the food — not the packaging — is weighed.
Many netizens echoed her sentiments, saying they too felt the prices at the carnival were higher than usual.
User @nur.frhna shared that her mother had a similar experience, believed to be from the same stall, where she was charged RM52.80 for rojak buah.
'It was heartbreaking to see her face. She was really upset and disappointed. She bought it for my dad to enjoy as a snack while watching TV that night.
'Is it even blessed to run a business like that?' she commented.
Another user, @afifahathilah, said she spent RM8 on a small container of cekodok (fritters) from a stall named 'Comell' (Cute), noting that the fritters were small-sized to match the theme of the stall.
The incident has sparked wider calls for transparency in pricing at food festivals, with many urging organisers and vendors to take greater responsibility in ensuring fair trading practices.